What Does an Apprentice Baker Do?

An apprentice baker is a person who works directly under an experienced baker in order to learn the trade. The responsibilities of the apprentice often include mixing ingredients, preparing fruits or vegetables for use in baked goods and, in some cases, baking some of the goods. The apprentice may also clean equipment and the kitchen, especially in a small bakery. When apprentice bakers are not working independently in the bakery, they are often found assisting experienced bakers. In this role, the apprentice is often able to learn a great deal of the information needed in order to become a baker.

One of the main things that an apprentice baker does is to learn about the trade. An experienced baker will teach an apprentice recipes and methods that are needed to bake breads, cakes and pastries. Apprentices are then able to practice their skills under the supervision of these experienced bakers. In some cases, an apprentice baker may also invent original recipes, which is an important part of a baker's job.

Apprentices will also usually work on simple tasks that are assigned by the baker. Preparing fruits and vegetables is a common task that an apprentice may perform. This can involve chopping or slicing fruits for pastries or grating zucchini or carrots for muffins or cakes. Once the ingredients are ready to be used, the apprentice may measure them out so that they can be quickly mixed into a recipe as they are needed.

It is possible for an apprentice baker to mix ingredients together. This can involve measuring out things such as flour, eggs, butter, water, yeast, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and then combining these ingredients together in the proper order. In many baked goods, the order in which ingredients are put together is important, and the apprentice must follow directions carefully so that the baked goods turn out properly. An apprentice new to the job may be watched by an experienced baker for a while before being allowed to make these items on his or her own.

Aside from tasks directly related to baking, an apprentice baker may also clean and maintain the equipment and facilities. Many of the machines used by bakers, such as mixers, need to be disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled frequently. An apprentice may be in charge of the completion of these sorts of tasks as well as general cleaning within the bakery.