There’s something about baking bread that makes time fly. A couple of hours in, your hands are covered in flour and you’re completely absorbed in the dough!
That’s exactly what happened at the Sourdough, Baguette & Fougasse Workshop at Comptoir Bakery School in Bermondsey. I came with my daughter for a fabulous mother-daughter experience and learnt great techniques, met lovely teachers, had plenty of fun and, of course, took home lots of delicious bread!
If you’re looking for an original, hands-on baking experience in London, this is a delicious alternative to the usual afternoon tea or museum visit.
Today, DOYOUSPEAKLONDON brings you to Comptoir Bakery School in East London, for a delicious deep dive into the art of French bread making!
Comptoir Bakery School: your guide to the bread baking workshop
Comptoir Bakery is a French patisserie and bakery with several spots around Bermondsey and Borough Market, including Maltby Street and Southwark Cathedral.
I'd already fallen for their croissants and pastries before this workshop. If you want the full story on the bakery itself, I wrote about it in detail here: Comptoir Bakery London.
What a lot of people don't realise is that Comptoir also runs an actual bakery school, located at 96 Druid Street, right next to their Maltby Street café.
It's a proper teaching space: retail shop up front, hands-on classroom behind it, and a genuine buzz of flour-dusted enthusiasm in the air!
The French bread making class I did focuses on three essentials of the French boulangerie repertoire: a classic sourdough loaf, a baguette, and a fougasse (that beautiful leaf-shaped bread, often studded with olives and/or herbs).
It's led by Comptoir's own bakers, trained under some genuinely serious culinary names, and it's designed for anyone, whether you've never touched dough in your life or you're already a confident home baker looking to up your game!
What makes this Sourdough and Baguette workshop so special
There's a lot to love here, but a few things stood out immediately.
The organisation is genuinely impressive
Three hours of hands-on teaching, and every stage is so well planned that you never once feel the time dragging. You’re kneading, shaping, waiting for the dough to prove, tasting (!) or learning something new. No dead time, no boredom, just pure baking pleasure!
The break is a small but delicious surprise!
Midway through the class, everyone stops for a complimentary drink and a sweet treat. We had French chouquettes, still warm, straight from the oven!! Genuinely one of the best chouquettes I've had in London!
The atmosphere among the group is what really elevates it
There were 12 of us that day, guided by two teachers, Carolina and Renan, who were knowledgeable, warm and genuinely funny.
They struck the perfect balance between teaching us the technical side of bread-making and keeping things relaxed and sociable, which made the whole workshop even more enjoyable.
You leave with an armful of goodies
The printed recipes, your baked sourdough loaf, your fougasse, your baguette, a portion of the Comptoir starter to take home, and a genuinely lovely, soft apron with the Comptoir logo on it!
We walked out proud, arms full, and our next breakfast at home was an absolute feast!
And honestly, it's good value!
Three hours of proper, hands-on baking, plenty of laughs, and all that delicious bread to take home... it’s not every day you find an experience like this in London! I loved every minute of it, from start to finish.
Now the only question is: which Comptoir Bakery workshop should I try next?!
Why this baking experience deserves a spot on your London list
What struck me most is how differently this workshop can suit people.
There was a lovely mix of people in the room that day: a couple who seemed to be on a date, two travellers visiting London who had booked the workshop as something different to do, a solo baker, us as a mother and daughter pair and a small group of friends.
And you don’t need to be an experienced baker to enjoy it. Whether you’re a complete beginner or already comfortable working with dough, the workshop is designed to suit all levels, with plenty of guidance along the way.
Every single participant left just as happy as we did ! And that’s the real strength of this bakery school in London! It’s original, welcoming, genuinely rewarding, and just plain fun!
And if bread isn't quite your thing, Comptoir's bakery school runs plenty of other baking classes in London, from croissants and brioche to tartelettes and macarons. Worth a browse on their website if bread doesn't call to you but pastry does.
Feeling inspired? If you're planning a visit to Comptoir Bakery School, I'd love to hear about your experience on DOYOUSPEAKLONDON!
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Everything you need to know about Comptoir Bakery School:
Address: 96 Druid Street, London, SE1 2HQ (right next to the Maltby Street café)
Tickets: From around £95–£110 per person for the Sourdough Loaf, Baguette and Fougasse Workshop, booked directly via the Comptoir website or ClassBento
Opening hours: Workshops run on selected dates throughout the week and weekend, check the online calendar for current availability
Website: comptoirbakery.co.uk
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