About the Course
This specialized cracker course offers a hands-on exploration of cracker production. Designed for bakers, technologists, and product developers, the course provides knowledge and practical experience with a wide range of cracker types, processes, and ingredients.
Participants will learn how to develop, optimize, and produce various types of crackers, such as water crackers, soda crackers, graham crackers, cream crackers, and snack crackers. The focus is on understanding the formulation, process steps, and final product characteristics like texture, flavor, and shelf life.
A core element of the course is the functional analysis of ingredients including flours, starches, sugars, fats, enzymes, and emulsifiers. You will gain insight into how these components can be used strategically to achieve specific textural properties or improve dough handling. The course also covers the application of modified starches and enzyme treatments to enhance product functionality and process efficiency.
Key processing techniques such as mixing, lamination, fermentation, baking, and cooling are thoroughly examined. You will learn how factors like water content, salt levels, leavening agents, and process conditions affect product structure, crispness, and volume. These insights are reinforced through practical sessions where you’ll apply techniques directly in a test bakery setting.
What sets this course apart is the integration of theory with practice: each technical topic is paired with hands-on baking sessions, allowing participants to immediately apply and evaluate their learning. Throughout the course, there are opportunities to discuss product outcomes, troubleshoot challenges, and share experiences.