HOLYOKE – Holyoke Community College (HCC) is now offering anyone with a desire to bake the opportunity to do so during a 14-week course this fall.

The two-credit course, taught by HCC’s very own baking instructor Maria Moreno Contreras, will be exactly the same as two other courses the college offers, but this one is slightly different as it is open to anyone. HCC Media Relations Manager, Chris Yurko, said Contreras previously worked at the Blue Heron Restaurant in Sunderland and operated her own bakery, Chilean Sweets.

Prior to the new class, Baking and Pastry Arts I, in order to take baking courses one had to be enrolled and pursuing a certificate or associate degree through HCC’s Culinary Arts program. Instead, there are no prerequisites for those who wish to take the class and they don’t have to enroll in any other classes.

Yurko told Reminder Publishing, the new course was created after the college received a large amount of people who wanted to learn how to bake, but were unable to attend culinary school for some reason. The college has offered one-time classes in the past, which offer people the chance to spend a few hours learning how to cook or bake one specific dish.

However, Yurko said, “Sometimes people just want to learn to bake.”

And bake they will! Students in the class will learn about ingredients, measurement techniques, and nutrition. Additionally, the course will teach students the steps needed to make yeast breaks, quick breads, cookies, cakes, cake decorations, laminated dough, pate a coux, custards, puddings, and dessert sauces.

Yurko described the course as “very professional,” but also a good place for those who want to learn how to bake to begin.

If successful, HCC will offer a second course, Baking and Pastry Arts II, in the spring of 2020 for those who wish to continue learning how to bake. However, Yurko said the addition of the course will depend on enrollment for the first part of the course this fall.

Additionally, the school is considering adding a full-time baking certificate program at the culinary institute. This too, however, is dependent on demand.

The course will take place on Mondays from 4:30 to 9:15 p.m. at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, located at 164 Race St. in Holyoke. The class will begin on Sept. 9 and continue until Dec. 9. A limited number of students will be enrolled in the course, which will cost $547. ­

Those who wish to enroll can call the HCC Admissions office at 413-552-2321, email Admissions@hcc.edu, or apply online at hcc.edu/admissions.