bripastryguy

I seem to be having a real problem ( I guess it's not as much a problem as it is a dilema) I used to be able to do custom cakes with just a 48 hour notice, now that we have gotten busier and my wholesale is even busier I am planning on posting a sign in my store that we now require 1 weeks notice on all custom cakes. (How should this be worded) Do you think this is unreasonible? Will I be cutting off my nose to spite my face (meaning will I lose orders?) More and more people seem to wait until the last minute to place their orders, even though the birthday is the same day every year or the graduation day is planned months in advance or the christening has been planned for weeks. Why is it that they wait to the last minute and dont seem to understand that I'm booked and I unfortunately dont have the time. I have other bakeries in my area, I really dont know their advance notice policies and I know that the quality of my work is far superior to theirs. All of my cakes are hand decorated, no photo images or pop ons. Look on my website to see that all the cakes are airbrushed or hand drawn by myself and I do take extra time and care into reproducing pictures and themes. I try and explain to my partner(wife) that it's not cost effective to me and our business to stop my bakery and her start a new batch of cake for a last minute $20 or $30 cake after she just finished a batch of that same cake (yes, she does make extras...) How do I handle this tackfully w/o pissing anyone off?

which i have used many times, great recipe! not for a newbie it does take some skill to get it right especially on a cake

Cheryl, I use petit four cups for each mini. Dont forget about: mini eclairs, cream puffs (a million different fillings can be used), mini cannolis. We use small silicon dome molds, pipe mousse in them then place a disk of cake or a baked cookie in and then freeze overnite. They can then be unmolded-glazed with ganache, white chocolate glaze (that can be tinted to match the mousse inside) or even sprayed with chocolate spray to give it a velvet appearance. hope this helps

You need to make sure that your cake is smooth first. I would mask it with a thin layer of chocolate buttercream or a whipped ganache. Chill the cake so that the "crumb coat" is firm. Place the cake on a rack and pour the warm ganache over the top. Use a offset spatula to swipe the excess off to one side, you can also tap the rack so that all the glaze can drip off the sides.

At my shop we use the silicon molds for everything, mini cheesecakes come out perfect. Real short cooking time, chill to room temp, pop in the freezer overnite come in next day and unmold. They come out perfect.

I've never attended this expo before but have heard good things about it. I am attending with a potential investor, I am using it to open their eyes as to how huge this industry is. I will arriving in aTLANTA ON tHURS mAY 31 AND ATTENDING THE SHOW On Friday June 1 then getting on a plane and coming bak to NY that nite (a real rush trip, but I have a busy cake weekend)

This is the recipe I've been using for the last few years. You can even flavor them . Meringue Mushrooms 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar -- sifted 3 teaspoons flour 4 egg whites -- room temp 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 2/3 cup sugar Sift confectioner's sugar with the flour twice and set aside. Beat egg whites until frothy. Add salt and cram of tartar. Beat at medium speed until the whites are semi-stiff. Add the sugar very slowly, 1 T at a time. Whip on high until stiff peaks form. Sift the confectioner's sugar and flour over stiffly beaten whites and gently fold in. Pipe and bake @ 250 for about 40 minutes

This proliferation of ill food and sub standard quality also makes it way into the baking and pastry industry as well. I run a "GOOD" pastry shop, we make everything in house. I cant say that I dont use some "convenience" products but that is not what I use as staples. There are too many places opening serving below par bakery products" : Thaw and serve cakes, cookies made by outside vendors, fillings, frostings, cake mixes all coming from a bag a box or a bucket. BJs and Costco make a better product. These places are saying things like "Wholesome baking" "Home made" and really they are opening packages from Dawn, Cheesecake Factory, etc... If this stuff is so bad (It really is) then why are these places still in business?

I have been using a less expensive one by Badger 250, I have it hooked to a 2 gallon compressor (pretty noisy-but the price was right) I have to turn the pressure down or my whole shop becomes like a Cheech and Chong Movie. You get the whole setup and really good airbrush supplies from Bearair.com

I think you are on the right track. Search out all the TOP people in your area, contact them and try and get in to do a stage. Pick individuals who are highly skilled in the areas you feel you are weakest. Sometimes Passion (in this industry) is more powerful than culinary school. But remember you said you didnt want to make the financial investment, so this is another way of investing your money (since you dont get paid for a stage, the $$$ you would be making is seen as an "investment" in your future) I have my own business, I think I am pretty good and I make sure every chance I get (or what ever time my wife allows) to spend time in other Chefs kitchens, learning from each other. You seem to have a good foundation, build on your strengths and try and eliminate your weaknesses by filling them with on the job training.

My career has taken me from 50 seat restaurants to being the assistant corporate pastry chef for a restaurant group that owned 9 at the time. It depends on your skill level, i dont just mean pastry. You have to have mangerial skills, computer knowledge, HR, etc... I spent more time in the office in the corporate gig, i learned alot about the business side which helped in my transition to Pastry shop owner. You will have to wear many hats..... Is the bigger place busier or just bigger? What is your skill level? Do you think you can handle the reins in a big place? Don't take a job you may not be ready for, it will be a bad move and you will have to play catch up. In my opinion, I think you should look for a job in a little bigger of place that will offer more creative freedom and allow you to grow gradually not rapidly. But you maybe ready, if you ARE ready than go for it. This forum has lots of people that can guide you in the right direction. If you need a voice, I'm on the east coast and I can be reached @ 516-794-4478 Brian, Sweet Karma Desserts

I have a baker that works for me and she ships frozen gluten free items in packaging made by RNC Inc... in Georgia . It is the same company that Norman Love uses

I got lucky finding my sheeter. It is a standup full size Rondo reversible sheeeter. It is over 35 years old and works great, needs very little maintenance and we use it almost everyday. Mostly for cookie bases for our desserts, rugelach dough, pie and pastry dough as well as Rolled Fondant. I dont know know about the Doyon, but I agree that you should try it before buying.

i apologize to all. My business and life has taken over my eG time, son uses the computer all the time. by the time I get to use it I'm too tired. I apologize humbly for killing this challenge

My friend has just taken a job at a high profile country club and he is need of a quality dessert and pastry provider. He knows what he wants, very demanding and really wants QUALITY, homestyle is not his thing. I did pastries for him in Long Island, He is an excellent chef and needs people he can count on. Please let me know who's out there in Bergen County New Jersey

i've had this problem many times. I make individual desserts and hi-end cakes. I have sold to gourmet shops and coffee shops that use the method of sales that you described. They eventually dropped off and we never able to sell so i lost them as a customer, even with all the hands on help. Dont get frustrated but some people just cant sell desserts and they revert back to the way they have always done things. I now avoid customers that dont have a dedicated "display" are or refrigerated case.

I also use it for this purpose. My compressor was more on the cheap side and didnt have enough ummph (psi) to do the job. I have switched to a 2 gallon oiless compressor, alittle but works great, it has pressure regulator and my friend is going to install a set up that uses quick disconnects so that I can use anyone of my 3 airbrushes (paint gun-like auto motive guys use, the badger and my airbrush for fine detail and cake work) They are definetly workhorses especially for the price.

has anyone a recipe for chocolate dough hamentaschen?

Everyone with experience has answers that are ringing true. I have dealt with this sso much in my retail shop. I tell them "All the items are prepared and finished daily" I strtegically leave out the word "baked", its not lying its suggestive selling. And what K8 said, you dont have time to discuss the inner workings of your production schedule or do you even want to. The general public has no idea what it takes to make everything you make so unfortunately they have to be told what they want to hear. People who want to learn will listen to the real answer. I give demos and panel discussions on pastry all the time and one of the main things I focus on is refrigeration, it is the life blood (other than awesome employees and love of what we do, stellar product doesnt hurt) My freezer is my second hardest working employee (sous chef is just the best) and I definetly couldnt do my job without it.....

really buried with valentine's day will return soon

everybody's feeling better. i'm late starting my store production for Superbowl and valentines pre day items so ill be back later. Got the mango creme in the freezer so that one may come at you fast

i would love the recipe for chocolate bavarians (white, milk, dark, etc...)

mango "ravioli" lime cilantro buerre blanc thinly slice mango and allow to soften in warm simple syrup. make a mango cremeaux, mold it in demisphere mold, freeze, pop out. cut the mango slices to imitate the shape of hand made ravioli, float in warm "buerre blanc" chocolate blini cinnamon cream and pomegranite caviar

1-mini shortcake biscuit perfumed with herbs de provence, lavender curd and blackerry jam. Call it a "blackberry sandwich" 2-"Cream of Carrot Soup" Carrot spice cake, tarragon panna cotta, orange vanilla caramel 3-Grilled Pineapple Brochette baste with thyme syrup, coconut risotto 4-Strawberry Basil Salad white chocolate strawberry parfait, candied basil, strawberry glass, balsamic "vinaigrette" 5-this is still in concept form Pear "Wellington" maybe caramelize pears duxelle style, place on top of a pear "fillet", wrap in puff dough, the sauce could be fennel cream served with fennel ice cream 6-a trio of soups raspberry w/ sechuan peppercorn foam apricot with ??? chocolate chipolte this is not an easy challenge for me as I do not use alot of herbs in my pastry shop...i will be back with more ideas later

ive been doing a white chocolate starwberry parfait with thai basil salad, oven roasted strawberries and strawberry glass, drizzled with honey balsamic reduction. I just got a molecular gastronomy kit that I'm sure to put into play with this challenge