Baking and Pastry Production course

Last year, a friend told me that Marikina City has free training programs for Marikina City residents.  I had signed up for baking class as early as January of this year since I thought that I would like to learn it and maybe use it for business.  I have some bread-related ideas that I would really like to try but lack the basic training for it.  And this free training really hits that spot for me.

Months pass by and no word of the training ever comes, that is until the end of July when I was in Leyte helping dad out with his business ideas.  So I immediately travel back to Manila for my August 1 orientation wherein I find out that the training isn't set to start until the 10th.  The training itself was free but we would spend for the ingredients that we would be using.  Also, we'd have to buy our own tools and utensils as only some are provided for our use in class.

August 10 comes and we're all off on a boring start.  I'm in the afternoon class with 16 other students and we have class from Mondays to Fridays.  Honestly, classroom lectures and basic lessons in baking terminologies can really dry me up!  Especially since I'm in the afternoon class that goes from 1-4pm!  But as soon as the first week is over and we move into the kitchen, all hands are on deck as we get our hands dirty with flour and butter.

Two weeks into class and we catch a lucky break!  Apparently, a NGO that provides free training and TESDA certification was looking for 25 lucky participants to learn Bread and Pastry Production and our class was going to be converted into a totally free training complete with ingredients and baking implements!  But then the finish date would be pushed back from September 11 to September 18 as we would basically start over as free training beneficiaries of Phil Best.  But then we'll be given a free shot at TESDA NC-2 certification as part of their training!  Lucky!

Here are Jane and Franz, my group mates.  Most other groups have 5 to six members while our group saw one person drop out of class leaving just three of us.  That just means more stuff for us to bring home and eat at the end of the day!

The weeks go by in a blur as we are caught in a flurry of baking activities.  Friends and family pester me for bread and cake but I remind them that I am only still learning the art and have a long way to go.  Nonetheless, I give away as much of the stuff that I get to take home for friends and family to try out.  Fortunately, most of the feedback I get are positive.  Maybe they're just being nice to me since I'm still a newbie at this!  =)

Next thing I know, it's already hell week and I have to pass three big practical tests.  The first one is the individual skill test wherein I have to bake a cake and 12 cupcakes under a single theme.  Then there's the pre-NC2 assessment test.  And the actual TESDA NC-2 skill test wherein we have to bake bread, cake, and pass an oral exam.  Luckily, the TESDA-related tests are group tests wherein we can team up to get things done a lot quicker!

Here's my mocha/chocolate chiffon cake that I submitted for the individual skill test.  The theme I got was for "Baby Shower."  Lucky!

Here are the Devil's Food Cake cupcakes that we made to go with the Baby Shower cake for the individual skill test.

Here's a quick look at the other cakes that were made by my classmates for the individual skill test.  Everybody got assigned a different theme for their cake presentations.

 I mercifully pass the individual skill test as well as the pre-NC2 assessment test.  I barely get any sleep this week as I keep fussing over the tests (aside from other things!).  Apparently, my classmates also had the same problem!  And here I thought that I was the only one worrying about it all!  The day of the TESDA NC2 exam comes and we're thrown into overdrive as everybody works hard to pass.  We do things in the kitchen just like we do in class and somehow we make it through with flying colors. All that practice and hard work finally pays off as I am now NC-2 certified for Baking and Pastry Production! Woot!

Here's the cake we baked for the TESDA NC-2 assessment test.  The theme was for "Alice in Wonderland Tea Party."

Posing with the tarpaulin of the NGO that sponsored our training and certification.

And now that I've passed this one, I've got to start practicing on my own and finally work on making my baking ideas into reality!  Thank you Marikina Development and Training Office, Phil Best, and to the Lord up high!