Years 8 & 9 Class Assessments: The Science & Culture Of Cooking!

For Year 9, this term’s theme focused on cooking as a chemical process.

Students explored how various chemical reactions affect different types of starch, sugar, proteins and lipids.

They applied their knowledge in an assessment project where they showcased their baking skills by creating choux pastry filled with chocolate mousse.

Additionally, they made caramel and also used sugar work to decorate their pastry towers.

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The Year 9s also learnt about ‘denaturing’ proteins by making meringue nests, which are created from sugar and egg whites.

Meringues are made by whipping egg whites to incorporate air, which causes the proteins to ‘denature’ and form a stable foam, then adding sugar to both sweeten and stabilise the mixture.

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The Year 8 topic focused on the culture of food.

We explored global cuisines, learning to prepare dishes like spaghetti carbonara, Vietnamese spring rolls and beef enchiladas, among others.

Students were then tasked with researching a specific culture, planning a meal based on their chosen culture, and incorporating an element from a different culture into their dish.

Please find attached photos of our Year 8 students presenting their final meal creations.

Mrs Emma Barnes

Teacher – Senior School