Fall 2024 Course Syllabus
Course: PSTR-1301 (Section: 1, CRN: 92631)
Fundamentals of Baking
LSCPA Logo Image
Instructor Information
Instructor Michelle Watson
Email watsonma@lamarpa.edu
Phone (409) 681-4311
Office Press - Room: 106C
Office Hours (M-TR 7am-8am, M-TR 1pm-3pm, M-TR 3:30-4:30pm)">(M-TR 7am-8am, M-TR 1pm-3pm, M-TR 3:30-4:30pm)
Additional Contact Information 409-681-4311
Course Information
Description Fundamentals of baking including dough, quick breads, pies, cakes, cookies, and tarts. Instruction in flours, fillings, and ingredients. Topics include baking terminology, tool and equipment use, formula conversions, functions of ingredients, and the evaluation of baked products.
Required Textbooks Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.

  • PSTR 1301-1 Fundamentals of Baking
  • 9781119744993 Professional Baking (College edition) by Wayne Gisslen
  • On Cooking/On Baking (Not Required)
Additional Materials/Resources Black Hat 
Issued Chef Coat  
Black Chef Pants 
Slip Resistant Black Shoes
Knife Kit 
Students must attend class every day in proper uniform or you will be sent home.
Corequisites/Prerequisites None
Learning Outcomes Identify and explain baking terms, ingredients, equipment, and tools; scale and measure ingredients; convert and cost recipes; operate baking equipment and tools; prepare and present yeast products, quick breads, pies, tarts, cookies, cakes, icings, and demonstrate fundamental decorating techniques; and produce commercially acceptable baked products.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
  • Identify concepts, terms, and phrases associated with the culinary arts and hospitality industry.
  • Identify and implement sanitation and safety procedures and regulations as required in the industry.
  • Use fundamental cooking and baking techniques as well as advanced cooking skills.
  • Identify and use advanced food service management theory, including food and labor cost controls, labor regulations, tax laws , tip reporting, franchise regulations and product liability laws.
Lecture Topics Outline

 Flours and Meals

Yeast and Leavening Agents
Doughs, Crusts, Puff Pastry

 Sugar and Sweeteners 

 Eggs 

 Fats and Oils 

 Milk and Dairy Products 

 Thickeners: Starches, Gelatin, and Gums 

 Chocolates, Nut Butters 

Bread and Other Yeast Products 
Quick Breads, Muffins and Scones

 Cake Baking. Frostings, Ganache and Glazes

 Custards, Souffle, Meringue, and Pate a Choux 

 Pies, Cobblers, Crumbles, Gallettes and Tarts 

 Cookies, Bars, Brownies

 Syrups and Candy

Major Assignments Schedule


Week 1 Syllabus review, pre-test, Blackboard and Self Service Banner Pearson book review

Week 2 Read and work on assignments and Cooking on Wheat and Grain Flours  Yeast and Leavening Agents

Week 3  Read and work on assignments and Cooking. Doughs, Crusts, Puff Pastry. Sugar and Other Sweeteners

Week 4 Read and work on assignments and Cooking on Eggs and  Fats and Oils 

Week 5 Read and work on assignments  and Cooking on Milk and Dairy Products 

Week 6 Read and work on assignments and Cooking on Thickeners: Starches, Gelatin 

Week 7 Read and work on assignments and Cooking on Chocolate, Nut Butters 

Week 8 Read and work on assignments and Cooking on Quick Breads, Muffins and Scones. Test on week 1-7

Week 9  Read and work on assignments and Cooking on  The Physics of Heat 

Week 10  Read and work on assignments and Cooking on Bread and Other Yeast-Risen Products 

Week 11   Read and work on assignments and Cooking on. Cakes, Frostings, Ganache and Glazes

Week 12   Read and work on assignments and Cooking on  Egg Cookery: Custards, Souffle, Meringues, and Pate a Choux

Week 13   Read and work on assignments and Cooking on Pies, Cobblers, Crumbles, Gallettes, and Tarts

Week 14   Read and work on assignments and Cooking on  Cookies, Bars and Brownies, Syrups and Candy.

Week 15  Practical Final

Final Exam Date December 6, 2024 - 9:0 AM   Through  December 6, 2024 - 12:0 PM
Grading Scale
Determination of
Final Grade
Tests - 30%, Assignments/Projects - 10%, Quiz - 15%, Final Exam - 20%
Discussion/ Lab 15%, Attendance 10%
Course Policies
Instructor Policies LATE WORK is highly discouraged and will incur a 10 point penalty for every day it is late.
Due dates are given and provide enough time to complete all work.


There will be a practical final exam.
All students must take the exam on the scheduled date and time, and failure to do so will result in a 0 on the final exam.


Every student MUST have a copy of the required textbooks by the SECOND week of class.
The student will still be responsible for any assignments given. 


Students are responsible for completing all assignments.

A failure to follow oral and/or written instructions will result in penalties.
Academic dishonesty will result in a zero on any assignment; a second incidence of academic dishonesty will be handled based on campus policies and procedures with the department chair.

No cell phones should be visible or heard during class. No earbuds or listening devices. This includes classroom and lab/kitchen.

Students must be in a clean uniform and in full uniform at all times.
If you show up to class out of uniform or in a dirty uniform you will be sent home.
You may use the kitchen washer/dryer to clean your uniform if you need to.
Hair must be neat and off the shoulder with a hat or secured in hair net.
No large earrings or dangling jewelry.

No heavy perfumes or colognes.

IN THE KITCHEN/LAB-
All students are required to clean up after themselves.
Students must clean ALL of their own dishes, any and all equipment used and work stations top and bottom. Including floors and counters and all surfaces. Dish room, sinks, walk-ins and refrigeration.
Each class will sweep and mop and take out the trash to the dumpster at the end of class every day
Large kitchen maintenance and deep cleaning projects will be assigned regularly and counted as lab time as needed to keep up with maintaining a spotless and organized kitchen.
Students will put dishes away from the previous class before starting cooking for the day.
Proper storage and rotation of food deliveries and maintaining organization of stored foods will be the responsibility of students as instructed by the Chef.

No student will be excused from the kitchen until they are checked out by the Chef.
All students will stay until all cleaning is complete and the class will be excused as a group together.
Please schedule work around class time.
No one will be permitted to leave class before the rest of the class is dismissed, unless it is an emergency.
No food is to leave the kitchen without permission of the Chef.
Do not go behind the counter of the Bistro or help yourself to things in the Bistro for any reason.
Attendance Policy Attendance is 10% of your grade in this class.
Students more than 15 minutes late will be marked absent for the day.
Students more than 15 minutes late will not be allowed to join the class that day.
I will not let you join the rest of the class in lab if you are more than 15 minutes late to class.
Please notify me if you will be absent.
After (3) unexcused absences you will be dropped a letter grade.
Additional Information

Please enter through the front door of the building.
A hat must be worn in the kitchen at all times. If you don't have one, a hairnet will be provided.

Students clean as a team. Everyone must stay until all the clean-up is done. No exceptions.
Please do not take this class if you can't work it around your work schedule.
Students must be checked-out upon completion of clean-up before you can leave for the day.
No food is to exit the building (including food you make) without permission from the Chef.
Do not go behind the counter in the Bistro for any reason.
Institutional Policies
MyLSCPA Be sure to check your campus email and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal. You can also access your grades, transcripts, academic advisors, degree progress, and other services through MyLSCPA.
Academic Honesty Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSCPA policies (Academic Dishonesty section in the Student Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.
ADA Considerations The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the the Office for Disability Services Coordinator, Room 231, in the Madison Monroe Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.
COVID 19 Information The Lamar State College Port Arthur (LSCPA) Student Code of Conduct COVID 19 Policy requires students who have been diagnosed with COVID 19 to report their condition directly to their local health department. Students should also contact their course faculty to report their quarantine status. In addition, this policy requires all students to wear face coverings when directly exposed to COVID 19 in compliance with the criteria included in the policy. For more information please refer to the COVID 19 link on the LSCPA website.
Facility Policies No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited.
HB 2504 This syllabus is part of LSCPA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.
Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect As per Texas law and LSCPA policy, all LSCPA employees, including faculty, are required to report allegations or disclosures of child abuse or neglect to the designated authorities, which may include a local or state law enforcement agency or the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. For more information about mandatory reporting requirements, see LSCPA's Policy and Procedure Manual.
Title IX and Sexual Misconduct LSCPA is committed to establishing and maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of sexual misconduct. All LSCPA employees, including faculty, have the responsibility to report disclosures of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault (including rape and acquaintance rape), domestic violence, dating violence, relationship violence, or stalking, to LSCPA's Title IX Coordinator, whose role is to coordinate the college's response to sexual misconduct. For more information about Title IX protections, faculty reporting responsibilities, options for confidential reporting, and the resources available for support visit LSCPA's Title IX website.
Clery Act Crime Reporting For more information about the Clery Act and crime reporting, see the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report and the Campus Security website.

Grievance / Complaint / Concern If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair.
Department Information
Business and Industrial Technology
Chair:Sheila Guillot
Email:guillsr@lamarpa.edu
Phone:(409) 984-6381