Reviews of Maru Expert courses

What a wonderful course — across the board.
The curriculum is excellent and every single bread in the program is genuinely delicious. Katya and Tatyana's support in the chat was truly round the clock — there were moments I couldn't even keep up with all their answers and tips. The video quality and the way the material is presented are, as always with Katya, just on another level.
And honestly? I still haven't fully processed the fact that I can bake the most incredible sourdough bread at home, with my own starter, in my own ordinary kitchen. Every time a loaf comes out beautiful and delicious, I'm still a little amazed 😄
Baking sourdough at home had been a dream of mine for years. And now it's real. Thank you, Katya 🙏

First and foremost, I want to thank our instructors for a course I had been waiting for so long — thank you for this treasure trove of knowledge, which is truly priceless. And thank you for the lightning-fast responses in the chat.
This course happened to fall right in the middle of my move to a new country — with half my equipment missing, unfamiliar ingredients, and an absolutely overwhelming workload at my job. I signed up anyway, because this had been a dream of mine for a long time, and I wanted to learn from Ekaterina specifically. I trust her courses completely, and her whole philosophy just deeply resonates with me. I started late, my starter didn't work on the first try — but we got there. And I'm determined to work through every assignment before the course wraps up.
Thank you to Ekaterina and Tatyana for the chance to touch the craft of artisan bread-making — and for the rush of emotions that comes every time a loaf actually works

My experience is still pretty fresh — I've only managed to bake two loaves so far, because I got completely stuck on growing my starter. But my patience and Tatyana's support together worked their magic. On the third attempt, after two full weeks of coaxing, my little starter finally came alive — she just needed extra time to get going 😄 Those two loaves I've baked so far came out wonderful. Ekaterina's video explanations are so thorough that if you follow them closely and think through your timing in advance, everything becomes clear and manageable. I will absolutely keep baking. I am endlessly grateful to Ekaterina and Tatyana for their support and for this course 🙏

I love your courses. They're logically structured, technically sound, and clearly explained. Follow the instructions faithfully and success is practically guaranteed — it's just a matter of building muscle memory over time. And something that really can't be overstated: every single recipe across every course is genuinely delicious. There are things I don't even like in theory — and I eat them anyway.
I actually own several English-language baking courses from MasterClass — not a cheap platform, as anyone who's been there knows. They're beautifully produced, with celebrated chefs making celebrated things. But they don't come close to what you've built here. What sets your courses apart is the individual attention you bring to a group setting. That's rare, and it makes all the difference. Keep doing what you're doing — and best of luck with everything new you're building

Not everything is perfect yet — but I get a little more confident with every loaf. Thank you to everyone at the school, you are all wonderful. Currently in the middle of the croissant course and absolutely not missing the holiday course no matter what. THANK YOU

На самом деле, раньше боязно относилась к подобному роду изделиям , но после курса все изменилось). Теперь готовлю Наполеон на все праздники , и уже неоднократно повторяла другие рецепты, всегда получается превосходно! Хочу выразить свою огромную благодарность за Ваш труд!

The curriculum is excellent across the board. The feedback, the communication, the way the material is delivered, the instructor's expertise — all of it is at the highest level. Thank you!
I will definitely be back 💔

Dear Ekaterina, thank you so much for the clarity and precision you bring to everything — the way you explain the material, work through mistakes, and offer real solutions genuinely impresses me. As a student, there's something deeply reassuring about knowing that no matter what challenge comes up, you have someone who can guide you through it.
A few things that really shaped my experience:
1) The support. With my level of perfectionism, I could easily have given up after the very first attempt. But thanks to you and your advice, I kept finding a way to pull myself together and keep going. After all — it's just dough 😄
2) The quality of the materials. The filming, the photos, the instructions — everything is produced at an exceptionally high level, and working with materials this good just feels like a pleasure.
3) The pastries themselves. The way something familiar can be elevated into something completely unexpected! I am in absolute awe of the flavor combinations in this course. Not a single item is merely "decent" — everything is outrageously delicious:
Croissant: perfect. Tender, buttery, utterly impossible to stop at just one.
Twists: unexpected shaping, a delicate nutty filling — a solid 10 out of 10.
Braised cherry croissant: a beautifully layered, deeply satisfying combination that works just as well straight from the oven as it does warmed up.
Berry-filled pastry: probably the most beautiful piece in the whole course 😄 I am obsessed with that berry purée.
Cheesecake roll: madre mia, the flavor. I may have lost a few pieces from this batch simply because I kept eating the cream straight from the bowl. With a spatula 😄 I've always hated marzipan — but you showed me a completely different side of it, and that note in the filling turned out to be the deciding factor. This one is my favorite.
Now I need to go on a diet before I can responsibly start the next course — because I already know everything will be just as impossibly delicious. Thank you! 🙏

I'm someone who collects unusual recipes — recipes with a story behind them — just as a personal hobby. I cook for the love of it. So there was absolutely no resisting this. The course laid everything out so clearly: what to do, why to do it that way and not another, in what order, what's most practical, what variations are possible — plus those wonderful fillings. It was exactly what I didn't know I needed.

My love of pastry started during lockdown — before that, my entire baking repertoire was honey cake and marshmallows 😄 I started baking for myself, then for orders, then quit taking orders and started investing in courses instead — and slowly but surely found my way to laminated dough. A friend of mine had taken Katya's croissant course, and I tried rolling them out alongside her. That was the moment. That's when my love affair with laminated dough began

This course genuinely surprised me — in the best possible way. The videos are exceptionally detailed and the recipe guides are crystal clear. The individual attention each student receives, the care given to every question, the quality of the feedback — that's simply what this school stands for, and it shows.
I recommend this course to every laminated dough lover without hesitation. The knowledge you walk away with pays for itself immediately.
Katya, I am truly in awe of the care and intention you bring to every course. Wishing your school every success and continued growth.

With love,
Olga Dogadaylo

I was thoroughly happy with this course. The content is genuinely useful, detailed, and always supported by that extra layer of guidance that helps you catch the details that actually matter. Thank you so much — wishing you all the success in the world

This was my very first encounter with laminated dough. I'm not a pastry chef, not a cook — just someone who showed up curious. But the video instructions and recipe guides were so professional and thorough that everything worked out on the very first try. Genuinely incredible.
A separate thank you for the group chat — and I say that as someone who normally avoids group chats, because they take up so much time. But watching other students work through their practice runs ahead of me was invaluable. Their questions, their mistakes, their wins — all of it meant that by the time I sat down to bake, I was already well prepared. I avoided so many pitfalls just by paying attention.
Thank you to Ekaterina and her whole team for building something this good. You are all amazing. This is absolutely not my last course with you

The New York Roll laminated dough course is beautifully crafted — professional in every detail and full of genuine heart. The feedback is fast and genuinely useful, with clear, specific notes on each practice run to help you improve. I would recommend this course without a moment's hesitation.

Excellent course. Everything explained and demonstrated down to the finest detail. I walked away with a serious foundation of knowledge. The kind of course where you finish and think: okay, let's go make something 🥐

Another wonderful course — as always. Clear, focused, zero fluff. Every single step of every single process, start to finish. Thank you!

I really enjoyed this course and discovered so much that was new to me — and I say that as someone who bakes a lot. Each lesson the results got better and better. The fillings are exceptional. Thank you so much, and wishing you all the best.

Курс красивый и оставил положительные впечатления. Вначале было сопротивление из-за сложных рецептов и ингредиентов. Хотелось зайти с простого и втянуться. Очень приятно было получать поддержку в чате. Также видео были мега полезными, часто в неожиданных моментах, как отсаживать крем или какой консистенции должно быть тесто. Часто текстовые рецепты этого не содержали, а это значит дополнительный риск (в том числе и денежный: не хочется выбросить булочки, на которые убил шоколад, масло и тп)
Мне было комфортно еще и в том, что несмотря на строгость рецептов в граммовке, Катя отнеслась радушно к изменению ее формул, если народ химичил. Это тоже немного снизило порог вхождения в эту непростую тему, как кондитерское дело.

Это мой первый опыт и я уверена не последний! Давно я не получала такого удовольствия от работы и полученной информации! Спасибо, Екатерина за этот опыт и ваше исключительное чувство вкуса! 
До новых встреч на новом курсе!

It was love at first tartlet. Every lesson brings a new flavor, a new texture, a new decoration approach - and the instruction is detailed enough that the important nuances never get glossed over. Ekaterina answers every question in the chat and gives specific recommendations - that alone is worth the price of enrollment. The support from fellow students is extraordinary. Thank you for this experience.

Я в восторге от курса по корпусным! Подачу материала в видеоуроке поймёт даже новичок , а если что-то непонятно , то в чате всё объяснят , подскажут, похвалят и поддержат. Переписка в чате - отдельный вид искусства))) Из пирожных тяжело выбрать любимчика, т.к. каждое пирожное объедение , просто взрыв вкусов))) Надеюсь на 2 часть этого курса )) Спасибо Екатерине и Александре за "Sculpt Me"

Курс замечательный, сочетание вкусов, как всегда - на высоте. Ждём подобное к 14-му февраля или 8-му марта. С тематическими декорами и вкусами.

I decided to take this course after a baking marathon where Ekaterina led a session on brioche. The way she presented the material — breaking down every process in such clear, accessible language — completely blew me away. The lesson structure, the recipe guides, the way every step just made sense.
But what left the deepest impression was the support. Any question gets answered almost instantly — and not just the technical side of things. Ekaterina breaks down every situation right down to the root until you reach the perfect result.
After this laminated dough course, I learned to bake croissants. A year ago I wouldn't have even dared to dream of that — and now my kitchen has turned into a mini bakery for my family.
At this point I know with certainty: any course from Ekaterina is the best investment you can make in yourself.
I am endlessly grateful for the skills I now have because of you 🙏

This course is outstanding. The feedback, the delivery, the substance — all of it is excellent. I want to say a genuine thank you for the professionalism, the thoughtfulness, and the elegance with which everything is taught and presented.
In the beginning, when you're doing your first batch, you're terrified. You're second-guessing every move, questions are piling up — and the best advice you'll get, the one that changes everything, is simply: "Don't be afraid. Just try. It's only dough." It might not sound like much at first. But that single nudge is what makes you switch on and actually feel what you're doing. And with every batch after that, you're a little less anxious and a little more confident.
You can over-explain every micro-step and hold someone's hand the entire way — but the result won't be the same, and it won't come as fast. What I got from this course was far more than I expected. Katya, you don't just teach pastry — you help people discover something new in themselves.
Thank you for the chance to learn from you. For the chance to make the most incredible croissant with my own hands. Everyone who has tried it was completely floored — for many of them, it was their first real croissant. Laminated dough is now in my heart forever