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punkinpie
Frequent Member
Joined: Sep 07, 2006
Posts: 234
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
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 Posted:
Fri Sep 07, 2007 4:56 am |
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I went to my first class last night and was soooo disappointed.
I decided not to take course 3 and skip to 4 as I wanted to learn about fondant, but not interested in tier cakes right now.
The lesson lasted about 20 minutes last night. We sat there and watched the instructor cover her cake board and a cake dummy. She read from the book. I learned nothing. We asked her what her cake experience was. She has course 1-3 and that's it. I asked her how often she makes cakes. A year ago she said she made lots right after she took her courses - but then was 'caked out' for a while.
I packed up all of my cake supplies to take to class and spent what seemed like a fortune on supplies and didn't use them at all  I know I will use them in the coming weeks - but it was such a let down.
Is this the way a typical Lesson 1 for Fondant/Gum Paste should go?
I also left with 2 questions unanswered - a little CC help would be greatly appreciated.
1. How thick should I roll my fondant to cover a cake base. Instructor guessed 1/4 inch - but the book doesn't say.
2. How think should I roll the fondant to cover the cake? The instructor told me not too thick and not too thin.
Thanks in advance for your help ! |
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ldydb
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 21, 2007
Posts: 38
Birthday: Jul 24
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 5:16 am |
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I have also taken the F+GP class. I was ok. the firs class is set up kinda badly (we also didn't do very much). All of the supplies come in handy later in the course and you really learn the basics whick you can build on with time.
Also I have take all 4 Wilton courses and the teacher often are Strickly wilton, and that's fine for some.
To cover your board or cake you want the fondant about 1/8 of an inch. Too thin and it will tear and to thick, it's hard to work with also you waste ingredients and you get a mouth full of fondant. YUCK! |
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luvscakes
Frequent Member
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Joined: Aug 29, 2006
Posts: 253
Location: Kansas
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 5:22 am |
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Hi,
Well I'm sorry that you had such an experiance. I have never, ever taken a Wilton class, and do my best to stear clear of them.
I have heard things on different classes from them, but maybe someone else can help you. I think tht there are good teachers and not so good ones. It sounds like you got the latter!
To cover my boards, I roll it thinner, but I'm curious what others do. To roll it to cover a cake I had a person tell me to get a nickel- it should be about that thick.
For me and covering cakes, it has been mainly trial and errors- with MANY errors on rolling it too thin/thick and having to get new fondant. Have you tried making MMF? I would suggest you learn!! It's easy, tastes better, and will save you a ton of $$ while you learn and beyond!! |
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ccaluda
Junior Member
Joined: May 08, 2007
Posts: 63
Location: New Orleans, LA
Birthday: Dec 27
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 5:32 am |
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I was also disappointed in the content of the Fondant/Gum paste class. It just seemed like a watered-down rehash of course 3. But our instructor made it worthwhile. She gave us detail demos on different gum paste flowers, and she brought in her portfolio and explained each cake. She kept us laughing with stories of what can go wrong in the cake decorating business. |
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penguinprincess
Frequent Member
Joined: Jul 11, 2007
Posts: 252
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Birthday: Mar 08
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 8:04 am |
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Oh, now I am worried! I start the fondant class on Monday! I have only taken course 1 & 2 and have never worked with fondant. I hope I will learn a lot and then even more stuff here!! |
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TexasSugar
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Sep 01, 2005
Posts: 4401
Location: East Texas
Birthday: Dec 08
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 8:55 am |
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Wilton could have set up the first lesson differently but I guess they had thier reasons for doing it as is.
The instructor should have talked about handling and coloring fondant. YOU should have done a fondant covered cake board, after she did one. We (the instructors) are suppose to demo covering a cake with fondant.
In my class I go ahead and show the borders and cut outs from Lesson 4 and we make the fondant favor box. This is because I found that covering the cake board did not take the 45 mins Wilton thought it would and it gives my students more time in Lesson 4 to work on their cakes.
When rolling your fondant out, you want to go about an 1/8th of an inch or about the thickness of a nickle. You can go a little thicker or thinner, with practice and trail and error.
It sounds like you have a newer WMI that doesn't have alot of experience. I would let the store/manager know your experience with the class. You can also pass that information on to Wilton as well. You pay for four 2 hour lessons and you should get that.
Is there another store in the area that offers the Wilton classes? If so I'd consider going to it and seeing if you like that instructor better.
Unfortunetly there are some bad or inexperinced instructors out there. And that is sad because it does give all of us a bad name. People associate the classes with their instructors. If the instructor sucked then they usually didn't like the classes as a whole.  |
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punkinpie
Frequent Member
Joined: Sep 07, 2006
Posts: 234
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Sat Sep 08, 2007 6:20 am |
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I decided I'm going to give the class another week to see how it goes. The instructor is very new and has not taken the class herself before. She obviously didn't go above and beyond to learn anything other that what class 1-3 taught her. She doesn't seem to know any tips or tricks. She hadn't even considered that some cake fillings need to refrigerated and didn't know how fondant does in the fridge.
I guess she needs a CC education  |
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mpitrelli
Frequent Member
Joined: Aug 02, 2005
Posts: 385
Location: Largo, Florida
Birthday: May 22
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Sat Sep 08, 2007 7:33 am |
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I took the corse a while ago. I was lucky because my instructor was very good showing you different things than what was in the book. She left it up to use to do which cake we wanted and was eager to show us different flowers. It is a very basic corse but you wll pick up some new ideas. |
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julzs71
Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 18, 2006
Posts: 552
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Sat Sep 08, 2007 10:24 am |
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mpitrelli who was your instructor? |
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mpitrelli
Frequent Member
Joined: Aug 02, 2005
Posts: 385
Location: Largo, Florida
Birthday: May 22
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Sat Sep 08, 2007 11:04 am |
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Her name was bobbi. I know she lurks her once and a while |
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julzs71
Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 18, 2006
Posts: 552
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Sat Sep 08, 2007 1:52 pm |
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she was my instructor too. She is very nice and funny. I wish I still lived there in Fl. so I could visit with her. Ask her about her first wilton instructor meeting in Orlando. |
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CelebrationsbyLori
Frequent Member
Joined: May 12, 2007
Posts: 336
Location: Southeast Kansas
Birthday: Jan 01
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Sun Sep 09, 2007 3:22 pm |
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As a WMI also, I wish I didn't hear this as often as I do. All I can say to any of you considering a Wilton class is don't be afraid to ask to meet the instructor before you sign up. If they aren't in the store, look at the class schedule that is going on right now and pop in close to the end of class, that way you can see a little of their teaching style and after class you are welcome to ask questions. Not to mention you could stop a student and ask them how they feel about the instructor. It's really all about personality, some instructors are better about dealing with all different types of people and ability and some aren't (and some really shouldn't be teaching). Back when I started, Wilton actually made you send in photos of your work and specifically the techniques you were going to teach, now they are teaching in so many places that they need warm bodies and all you have to do is take Courses 1,2 &3 and BOOM, you're a teacher! Someone else mentioned letting your store manager know that your class was not all it was supposed to be, I can't agree more! Also call Wilton (there is a number in your book I think) and let them know about this instructors performance, it's the only way she will know she needs to improve! -Lori |
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punkinpie
Frequent Member
Joined: Sep 07, 2006
Posts: 234
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Sun Sep 30, 2007 6:45 am |
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I finished my class last week. All in all I think I was most disappointed with Wilton. The course just didn't have much to it and that combined with a newbie instructor left me still disappointed. The instructor did improve over the 4 weeks so that was good - but I really found a lack of tricks and tips since this was my first time with fondant and gum paste.
All in all I was pleased with my finale cake. I decided to make a variation of the daisy cake from the course book. |
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| Wilton Course 4 Finale Cake_Sept 2007 |
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CelebrationsbyLori
Frequent Member
Joined: May 12, 2007
Posts: 336
Location: Southeast Kansas
Birthday: Jan 01
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Sun Sep 30, 2007 6:44 pm |
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Your final cake turned out beautiful! So sorry you didn't get much out of the class. I do agree that it could use a few more tips to fill in, but it sounds like your instructor is still learning. You would definately get more out of the first 3 classes, they have a lot more info. in them! Course 3 has a lot more fondant things in it and more about the basics of covering the cakes, etc. You can of course also get tons of info. right here!
Good luck and keep practicing! -Lori |
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roxxxy_luvs_duff
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Feb 08, 2007
Posts: 2896
Location: Kerman, CA
Birthday: Nov 24
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Sun Sep 30, 2007 7:02 pm |
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I already knew ho do most of the things they showed in the class but I had a really good instructor that gave us a lot of helpful hints and answered any questions. She went to culinary school and trained in a shop and now owns her own cake shop. It was nice having a instuctor that had a lot of experience to share. |
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