As promised, here’s one of the exciting things I did relating to baking! 🎂

I’ve always wanted to take a course with Ron-Ben Israel and knew this would be my last chance because I was moving out of NYC. I couldn’t let this opportunity pass since I’d been wanting to take his sugar course for years. It just happened that he was teaching a weekend “Spring Fling” sugar flower class. I’m more into piping and using buttercream as my medium so I thought it was a great opportunity to practice making realistic flowers made from sugar. For me, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from one of the best-known for his beautiful sugar flower work. If you don’t believe me check out his Instagram @rbicakes.

Located in one of my favorite parts of NYC, his facility was in the Garment District. Close to numerous fabric shops where you see a magnitude of colorful fabrics that are great for inspiration and not too far from the flower district. It’s hard not to be inspired by fashion and florals!

The workshop was three days, and we would do at least 1-2 types of flowers/leaves each day. The flowers we were to make were the Gloriosa Lily, Morning Glory, Lily of the Valley, Dogwood, and the Peony. Besides the tools needed was a color instructional booklet of how to make each flower along with photos. The booklet is full of great information and tips and we had to promise not to share this online, sorry!

Upon entering the facility the first thing you see is a rack full of beautiful cakes with various cake techniques. Part of the first day includes Ron providing a full tour of his shop and answering any cake/business-related questions. His shop is quite impressive with a wall of containers full of various sugar flowers as a focal point. You’re like a kid entering a candy shop, but for bakers.

We were welcomed with a warm smile by Ron-Ben Israel and his assistant Jackie. We were told to enjoy the drinks and light snacks they had spread out in the back of the teaching area. I highly recommend eating a good breakfast before the class to hold you until lunch. For the majority of the week, lunch was delicious and it was nice that they regularly asked if we enjoyed the lunch of the day. It was a different cuisine every day and had options for vegetarians/vegans. They do ask before starting the class if you have any dietary restrictions and the meal is included in the price.

I’ve seen him on numerous baking shows, but I was curious about his personality and teaching style. Ron-Ben Israel’s teaching was full of enthusiasm and patience. You can sense his passion for making sugar flowers. I got stuck with making my favorite flower, lily of the valley, and morning glory. Who knew it would be so hard when he made it look so easy? Other students and I went to him numerous times, and he always patiently took the time to show us over and over until we got it. His assistant was always there to help as well. Being a small class, they went to every student to provide feedback and see if we had any questions.

It was interesting to speak with international students regarding cake trends in other parts of the world. I’ve taken online courses, but it’s not the same as taking an in-person workshop when you have the opportunity to speak with someone of his caliber learning from his experiences, techniques, tips, and feedback. Now that I’ve taken the class, the price seems reasonable. As a native New Yorker, it’s always fun to walk around the city. So, for those traveling to NYC, there’s plenty to do, see, and eat.

The last day includes a small fondant cake they prepared for you, and we’re told to have fun creating our own floral arrangements on the cake. Once completed, he allows time for any questions. At the end of the course, you receive a certificate and take photos with him. One takeaway from his class besides practice, practice, and more practice was to find your own sense of style when creating cakes. He always encouraged us to have fun with the process and journey.

I would definitely recommend taking his course. I hope he teaches the giant flower course again because the large rose flower was impressive! Check out his website for updates on his next class.

Follow my Instagram @sweetbakerlina and I’ll be adding other sugar flowers as I practice.