THE COOKERY SCHOOL

WHERE Cake Boy, Battersea, London (cake-boy.com/school)

THE COURSE Afternoon Tea, £250 for a full-day course (includes lunch with wine and bakes to take home)

TESTED BY Phoebe Stone

FEEL THE SQUEEZE Eric shows how to pipe like a French master

RECIPE: ERIC LANLARD. FOOD PHOTOGRAPH: TOBY SCOTT. FOOD STYLING: ELLA TARN. STYLING: TONY HUTCHINSON

WHAT IT’S LIKE Eric Lanlard’s Cake Boy, a patisserie and cookery school, is a day-glo paradise at the foot of newly built blocks of flats south of the River Thames in Battersea. On arrival I was greeted by a smiling staff member who invited me and my fellow wannabe pâtissiers to tuck into a hot drink and a warm pastry. The day was young but it was already showing promise.

In the café lounge, fuchsia pink and mandarin orange leather chairs are offset by black coffee tables and a sparkling light installation. Cake Boy is a place of highoctane glamour, and the day’s baking proved to be no exception. As we sipped our coffees, accomplished French baker Eric explained the day’s programme and dispelled any fears (“Stop looking so nervous, you’re not on Bake Off!”). Then we were led over to the kitchen equipped with a rainbow array of KitchenAid stand mixers and Joseph Joseph kit.

WHAT I LEARNED With an impressive menu of treats to prepare, including pistachio and rose financiers, cheesecake brownies and a whole celebration cake, the morning was busily spent baking the foundations of the sweet feast. Eric is a true cakemaster: he explained his foolproof methods for each recipe in detail, all with a smile on his face and cheeky glint in his eye. “I’ve had a lot of bad scones in my life – some you could probably kill someone with,” he grinned as he showed us how to make light ones, combining the wet with the dry ingredients using the flat of the hand in a turning motion. “Pretend you’re the Queen on the balcony at the palace, waving at the crowds,” he instructed.

For the cake sponges, Eric stressed the importance of making sure ingredients are at room temperature before you begin, and taking your time to cream the butter and sugar together thoroughly. The financiers (small, ingot-shaped cakes) were made with browned butter for a deep nutty taste.