St Patrick’s day baking at Bread Ahead - London
In the heart of London's famous and bustling Borough Market, stands an equally renowned bakery called Bread Ahead.
What makes this bakery extra special is its baking school which I’ve been dying to attend for years. Finally, it happened on the 17th of March! As an Irish woman what better way to start my Bread Ahead Bakery experience than a St. Patrick's Day baking workshop?
The emphasis of the workshop was baking with the famous black stuff - Guinness!
The workshop was led by Victoria, an Argentinian baker. Given this was a free class to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day it was a short 45 minutes which also meant less ‘baking’ and more of a fun, educational demonstration which allowed us to taste along the way and take those delicious bakes home.
Despite being a demonstration rather than a hands-on class, the atmosphere was still very engaging. Victoria, with the help of a volunteer or two, brought the recipes to life, making the entire experience interactive and thoroughly enjoyable.
The Marvel of Guinness in Baking
The bakes of the day included Guinness Bread and Guinness Cake. You may not know that incorporating Guinness into your bakes adds a depth of flavour that's rich, slightly malty, and delicious.
The bread came out beautifully dense yet soft, with a subtle hint of the iconic stout.
The cake, on the other hand, was extremely light, moist, yet rich with a perfect balance of sweetness. For those who are put off by the thought of a cake tasting of Guinness, you needn’t worry, as the stout isn’t added for its flavour but instead, it is there to intensify the chocolate flavour of the Guinness cake.
The Experience
The setup was less about kneading dough and more about kneading knowledge. We were invited to savour the creations—a prelude to the joy of taking home our very own bakes, prepared by Victoria earlier that morning.
The recipes may have been simple and quick but the workshop itself was educational; with Victoria sharing not just the recipes but also the science behind these bakes as well as all her tips and tricks, that can be applied to many other bread and cake recipes.
The fact that it was a free event made it all the more accessible, allowing a diverse group of people to share in the joy of St. Patrick's Day.
We were also given access to a few extra recipes - it just kept getting better. It was an invitation to continue exploring, to bring a piece of the experience back to our kitchens, and to perhaps start a new tradition of baking with Guinness or at least trying more traditional Irish bakes.
Book a Baking Class
The St. Patrick's Day baking workshop at Bread Ahead was a great way to taste the world of baking with beer. Victoria, with her expertise and warmth, turned a simple demonstration into a celebration of flavour, culture, and community.
For anyone passionate about baking, Bread Ahead Baking School is one not to miss.
I’m already excited about the next 2 baking classes (Italian cooking class and Scandinavian baking) I have lined up at Bread Ahead.
See a full list of their courses and more here: www.breadahead.com/courses
If you want the recipes from the St Patrick’s day class, sign up to our mailing list below here and we’ll send them out once we’ve given them a try at home!