Cake masterclasses: mousse cakes, assembly, decoration

A cake is a structure rather than a recipe: sponge, crunchy layer, confit, crémeux and mousse, each with its own moisture and setting temperature. These lessons take the assembly apart — from dacquoise and namelaka to velvet spray and chocolate decoration.

Cheesecakes live here too: the Basque one with its caramelised top, a four-cheese version finished with velvet, and Sibirika with sea buckthorn. So do the classics, worked through end to end — Fraisier with mousseline cream, Guyana in four textures, Noisette with gianduja.

If you are building a layered cake for the first time, look for the direct-assembly lessons: they show the order in which layers set, and why a cake shifts when you rush it.