About the class

This year we learn how to make three new types of cookies that over the years became my family’s favorites. All the cookies that we make in the class can be stored until Christmas and enjoyed on a holiday table.

On the menu this year:

• Dark chocolate & walnut (or chestnut) filled cookies 

• Coffee cookies with white chocolate and salted caramel filling 

• Twice-baked nut crisps 

Honey cake is a traditional Eastern European festive dessert, often enjoyed during Christmas and the holiday season. It features sweet, buttery honey sponges that are cooked before baking, complemented by a rich vanilla buttercream.

At the center, a sharp, wine-poached spiced prune compote balances the cake's sweetness.

The crowning layer, known as the “grilaz,” consists of crispy honey caramel-coated pecans and walnuts. This stunning dessert is perfect for sharing around the holiday table.

About the class

Ciorba de perisoare îs a hearty, traditional Romanian sour soup with meatballs made mostly during the winter months. Meatballs are typically made of minced pork, sautéed onions and garlic, rice and spiced boiled in ciorba - a strong soup based on root vegetables and served tangy mixed with sour cream, vinegar and dill

As a side to soup, we will be making a traditional Slovak-style yeasted bacon biscuits called pagace (vegetarian version is available)

About the class

Enjoy this beautiful and delicious recipe on fluffy pumpkin buns that can be made sweet or savory.

Flavorful yeasted pumpkin dough can be used interchangeably during the pumpkin season to make breakfast buns with filling of your choice. We’ll learn how to create a perfect mini-pumpkin design so that our pastries not only taste but also look amazing. In the class we’ll be making pumpkin buns filled with various fillings like savory herbed goat cheese with fig, pumpkin & goat cheese, and plum and apple butter

Join me in a class on the light and delicate Austrian dessert - Kardinalschnitte. In this baking class, you'll learn the traditional techniques and will be guided through each step of the process, from preparing the light and airy sponge cake to crafting the luscious vanilla cream filling

We'll also explore variations and creative twists to customize your Kadinalschnitte to your own unique taste

Whether you're a baking enthusiast looking to expand your repertoire or a novice eager to learn the fundamentals, this class is designed for all skill levels

Embark on a delightful culinary journey into the heart of Polish tradition with this immersive baking class. Mazurek, a beloved Easter pastry holds a special place in Polish culture, symbolizing the joy of springtime and the warmth of family gatherings

During the class, you'll learn the art of preparing the perfect Mazurek dough, striking a balance between its delicate texture and rich flavor. We'll use the ingredients that give Mazurek its distinctive taste - from fragrant nuts, sweet dried fruits, tart jams and rich chocolate filling

We’ll learn how to shape and decorate Mazurek, including ornate designs that make each pastry a work of art

Delicious Slovak & Czech meal - plnena paprika (stuffed peppers) is a hearty meal made year round but even more often during cold winter months

Traditionally and unlike in other European countries are peppers, once filled, simmered rather than oven-baked in a rich tomato sauce until cooked through

Filling consists of meat and rice mixture and the meal is typically served with tomato and sour cream sauce. Stuffed peppers can be served by themselves or with a side of a fresh sourdough bread, potatoes or steamed bun

Learn together with me how to make traditional Silician Buccellati (sometimes also called Cuccidati) which are date & fig filled cookies with a hint of rum, spice and citrus

Incredibly flavorful and fun to make! We learn how to shape these cookies in several different ways (as there are plenty of shapes of those yummy cookies that can be found in Sicily)

Dough for the cookies is traditionally made with lard but can be substituted with butter too and the filling varies from date to fig based with an addition of nuts like hazelnuts or pistachios. Another perfect cookie recipe to add to your baking repertoire

This all time favorite of every family celebration is a staple treat heartily remembered from my childhood

Opity Izidor (Drunked Isidor) is a cake rich in flavors consisting of several layers of goodness - chocolate & almond sponge on the bottom topped with a luscious chocolate buttercream, topped with a rum and walnut paste and all covered with a chocolate ganache. Sweetness is balanced with a layer of tart apricot marmalade

Irresistible dessert for all lovers of rich, creamy and chocolate-y desserts

Buche de Noel appears on the table only once a year and hence we enjoy it really thoroughly. Traditional cake served as a dessert after the Christmas dinner in many countries, especially in Europe is known for its’ wood-log shape and decorated in a festive way.

In the class we’ll learn how to make Buche de Noel consisting of a light genoise sponge, filled with an espresso buttercream coated chocolate mousse. Classic recipe not to be missed!

Soak the atmosphere and spirit of Christmas in the class on the best of holiday cookies. Besides three kinds of cookies we will also make a spiced boozy drink called Grog that we’ll sip on and enjoy as we bake (non-alcoholic version of the drink is available).

All the cookies on the menu store very well in an airtight container and last for weeks - making this a great opportunity to start with a holiday baking ahead of time and save yourself time and stress!

On the menu:

• Trene susienky (Piped shortbread cookies sandwiched with apricot jam and/or espresso cream)

• Speculoos (Scandinavian spiced cookies coated with rum sirup)

• Sukharyky (Ukrainian-style pecan & walnut biscotti)

• Grog - spiced and warming rum-based drink

Learn how to make the most delicious holiday cookies together with Lenka. In this class we’ll cover three most traditional recipes that can’t be missed on any holiday table.

The cookies store very well and can be prepared weeks ahead to save yourself time and avoid hustle of holiday baking.

On the menu:

• Linzer cookies (typical buttery shortbread cookies sandwiched with jams, lemon curd and/or chocolate)

• Traditional gingerbread (soft gingerbread cookies made following my mom’s recipe - optionally filled with plum butter)

• Vanilkove rozky (soft vanilla and almond crescents, lightly tossed in powder sugar that melt in your mouth)

There’s nothing quite as comforting as a slice of a homemade Stollen on a Christmas morning served with a cup of coffee. In this class you’ll learn how to make this rich, buttery bread filled with dried fruits, nuts, spices and homemade marzipan from scratch.

Lenka will share her family’s recipe, tips and techniques on how to make the best enriched bread. After trying this one, you won’t look for another stollen recipe ever again!

Two delicious cookie recipes in one class! In this masterclass on Eastern European cookies you'll learn how to make two delicious cookies from scratch

Russian sour cream tea cakes are made with buttery, sour-cream enriched dough that is chilled before it's rolled and baked which provides a delicate, flaky texture of the interior carrying a rich, gooey walnut & pecan filling

Traditional Ezhiki - cocoa hedgehog cookies are a unique recipe made with dough using grated hard-boiled egg yolks and filled with cognac-soaked raisins. After cookies are baked, they're dipped in a chocolate glaze and coated in a crispy cocoa wafers

An ultimate comfort late-summer meal of my childhood combining the best things out there - ripe, sweet plums wrapped in a flavorful soft sweet cheese-enriched dough and topped with a LOT of browned butter, sugar and toasted nuts or breadcrumbs

Fruit dumplings are a very popular late-summer meal, occasionally also served as a dessert not only in Slovakia but also surrounding countries. Besides plums a great fruit to fill dumplings with are ripe apricots and in certain regions are dumplings also filled with a thick plum butter mixed with poppy seeds paste

One of the most popular French cake recipe - Galette Des Rois is not only super delicious but also stunning-looking delicacy that we’ll be preparing in the class all from scratch

The cake consists of a flaky, buttery puff pastry with a generous layer of creme d’amandes (homemade almond cream) stuffed inside. The cake is chilled before its’ surface is scored and decorated in a typical ornamental pattern

The cake can be eaten slightly warm or cold next day and it is a perfect marriage of a flaky, crispy pastry dough on the outside and creamy almond center inside

Covrigi are Romanian-style bagels that can be made sweet or savory and unlike traditional American bagels they are not boiled prior to cooking

Covrigi have a slightly chewy consistency (thanks to bread flour high in gluten) and can be made plain or filled. In the class we’ll be filling covrigi with two of my favorite fillings that compliment the dough very well - cooked sour cherry filling and thick nut paste made with cinnamon and cocoa powder. Crunchy top of bagels adds to texture  

Warm covrigi are delicious for breakfast enjoyed with a cup of hot tea, optionally glazed with warm apricot preserve or dollop of ricotta Sunny will teach you how to prepare this super traditional and comforting fall dish composed of vegan “meat balls” served with gravy, sauerkraut and boiled potatoes following her own recipe. The class have a limited capacity so make sure to reserve your spot fast - also, don’t forget to check out Sunny’s blog www.articgrub.com

Class you don’t want to miss! This delicious class on traditional Norwegian dish called Vegisterkaker will be hosted by Sunny Gandara, a guest teacher, chef and author of the foodblog Arctic Grub. Sunny was born and raised in Norway and her focus in cooking and baking is on traditional Norwegian and Scandinavian recipes

Sunny will teach you how to prepare this super traditional and comforting fall dish composed of vegan “meat balls” served with gravy, sauerkraut and boiled potatoes following her own recipe. The class have a limited capacity so make sure to reserve your spot fast - also, don’t forget to check out Sunny’s blog www.articgrub.com

Join my class on this super comforting late summer cake that is traditionally made with apples or a mix of apples and pears. Flavor and texture of warm apples, warming spices and crispy dough on top is just hard to resist

Delicious buttery cinnamon-flavored dough is rolled and grated on the bottom and top of the cake. Center hides a warm filling made of spiced apples (best flavors of fall) and a delicious layer of sweetened farmer's cheese that's adding to a texture and consistency. Crispy and crunchy top of the cake beautifully complements a warm and creamy filling in a middle

It’s peach season! And time for peach cakes, tarts, cobblers, sorbets and all things peach. For this peach-y class I chose the recipe combining the best ingredients and flavors summer has to offer - galette made with juicy, sweet peaches laid on a light frangipane cream (almond & butter cream), all baked together on a crispy and flaky galette dough. In the class we’ll be making a ruff puff pastry dough as a base for the galette - which I think goes the best with the most summer fruit tarts

Did I mention the ice-cream? The one we make together in the class goes so well scooped on top of the warm tart and doesn’t require the use of an ice-cream churning machine! A perfect end-of-summer recipe to celebrate the best of seasonal ingredients that I’ll guarantee you’ll be repeating many times until the late fall

Who wouldn’t love dumplings? In my class on traditional Eastern European dumplings we’ll explore a delicious world and rich cuisine of Eastern Europe with this most staple comfort meal. In the class we’ll make an authentic dumpling dough from scratch and learn how to make and shape THREE kinds of dumplings - Slovak Pirohy, Russian Pelmeni and Turkish Manti

For the filling, we’ll be using three different kinds of typical homemade fillings (two savory and one sweet) and at the end of the class we’ll get to enjoy our delicious meal

Flavors of cinnamon and orange, texture of the pillowy warm dough generously filled with brown sugar butter and dripping drizzle of warm marmalade on top - this could be possibly be the best comfort pastry I’ve ever tasted on my travels to Sweden

Kanellängd (pronounced kin-a-link) is traditionally shaped into a wreath that first needs to be rolled, then cut and pulled which creates its typical look resembling a wheat stalk

Join me in the class on this delicious pastry and add a new recipe to your repertoire of the best sweet yeasted pastries

Pastel De Nata is arguably the most popular Portuguese dessert eaten equally often for breakfast with a cup of coffee as well as a sweet treat throughout the day

The pastry consists of the two main components - pastry shell and sweet custard filling. In the class on this delicious dessert we’ll explore how to make an authentic version of this recipe I learned while in Portugal - made with a delicate laminated puff pastry shell (made from scratch) followed by a citrus-infused egg custard

Wool bread is a unique bread recipe that originated in Asia - I learned how to make this pastry using a tangzhong method while living in Nepal and until today it's one of the best and unique bread recipes I've ever explored

Tangzhong (flour paste) provides the dough with a long list of added benefits that we’ll learn about in the class - perhaps the most significant one being extra moist and longer lasting breads. Tangzhong can be added into a variety of recipes using yeast as an rising agent to achieve those benefits

The bread can be filled with sweet & savory fillings and for this class, I chose two of my savory favorites - minced meat and for vegetarian version cheese, herbs & sumac filling. Yum!

This savory recipe is a fusion of two traditional Slovak meals - potato pancakes and chicken liver sautéed on crisp white wine that I love to combine in this delicious meal.

The dish is a perfect candidate for a refreshing and sophisticated summer dinner full of new, unexplored flavors and it is easy and quick to make.

The recipe consists of a crispy, thin potato pancakes that are enjoyed as a side to a white wine sautéed chicken liver (wine is of course enjoyed during the cooking too :) Softened, sweet ripe pears cut through the earthy flavor or liver and wine and bright up the whole meal. Fresh thyme is an essence of this meal that provides for a typical flavor and aftertaste

Minne Di Sant’ Agata (or Sant’ Agatha’s Breast :) is a traditional Sicilian pastry originated in city of Catania. Minne are delicate mini-tarts made of a crispy buttery shell that’s holding a rich, creamy filling inside

They are traditionally made with sheep cheese ricotta and baked in a small round shells to resemble breast of a young Saint Agata (if round shells are unavailable, you can bake these in a classic cupcake/ muffin molds or tray).

Minne consist of a delicate buttery shortcrust shell that holds filling made of sheep cheese ricotta mixed with rum-soaked dried and candied fruits and chocolate. Final look of the pastry is achieved by frosting it with a lemon glaze with a sour candied cherry sitting on top

It won’t get more fresh, summer-y and seasonal than this. Delicious apricot summer cake is what’s baked back home in Slovakia throughout the summer

This is an ideal summer breakfast cake and a perfect pairing to an afternoon cup of coffee. The cake tastes best next day when all juices and flavors blend so you’re ready for a perfect Saturday morning with the slice of this traditional deliciousness

Summer Apricot Cake consists of buttery dough flavored with a hint of Meyer lemon, the layer of a vanilla sweet cheese filling, generous layer of apricots, all covered in crispy streusel and toasted almond topping

Vertuta is a delicate strudel-type pastry made with a universal, neutral tasting dough that is prior to filling stretched until paper thin (two methods of stretching will be presented in the class)

Versatility of the dough allows for a large variety of sweet and savory fillings that can be wrapped inside the dough. The pastry is of Romanian and Moldovan origins and in the class we’ll be making two Vertutas filled with:

• Sweet apples, nuts, cinnamon and butter

• Savory feta or syr (tvaroh) and sorrel or spring greens

As a thank you to all you, my readers, students and friends, I am hosting this free online class on three kinds of the most delicious Eastern European dumplings. In the class we’ll make together Manti (hat-shaped dumplings), Russian Pelmeni and Pierogi filled with one sweet and one savory fillings:

• Sweet cheese or plum butter

• Savory potato and tvaroh/ syr or feta & filling or

• Sauerkraut & bacon filling