Stunning French pâtisserie, picture perfect pastry work, luscious set creams, curds and fillings – it must take years and years of practice in a professional kitchen to be able to pull that off, right? Wrong! With a little bit of inside knowledge, some tips from those who know pastry work inside-out and the right recipes, it’s actually much easier than you think to pull off seriously impressive desserts at home.

That’s why we’ve decided to dedicate our first ever Great British Chefs Academy masterclass to the art of tart-making. Nothing looks quite as swish as a baked tart with a perfect pastry case (made from scratch of course) and a delicious, flavourful sweet filling. Hosting this month’s Academy class is expert pastry chef Graham Hornigold, who will be guiding us through every aspect of making incredible tarts.

If you’re not sure what the Academy is or want to know more about how it works, click here to learn more. If you’re ready to get stuck in, however, take a look at the essential skills and lessons below, download the accompanying PDF, dust off those fluted tins and bake your way to tart nirvana!