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Dry Baking


Pam R

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When we moved our business last summer, I inherited a dry-baking showcase that is front-and-center in between my two refrigerated cases. In the old location I baked my 3-4 different dry cookies and kept them on top of the refrigerated cases on plates or trays with lids.

I'm much busier in this location and I don't have time to be baking fresh things for this case on a daily basis. Luckily the things I'm already doing have a good shelf life and can stay in the case for a good 3-5 days (if they last that long!). So far I'm doing Cinnamon Twists, Almond/Chocolate Mandelbroit, Nothings/Keichal and occasionally some large peanut butter or chocolate chip cookies. (The first 3 items are all dry/crisp traditional Jewish cookies.)

But my case is looking empty. Does anybody have any ideas for a good, dry cookie that has a long unrefrigerated shelf life?

Thanks,

Pam

* Mandelboit = Jewish Biscotti (sort of)

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Shortbread fits the description...  I can't think of anything else off the top of my head.

I'm smacking myself now. During the holiday season I had trays of 'icebox cookies' in the showcase. They sold like crazy. Different versions of shortbread would be good.

I'm wondering if people would buy meringue cookies? I make them for passover... but for the rest of the year? hmm.

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I'm wondering if people would buy meringue cookies?  I make them for passover... but for the rest of the year? hmm.

We used to buy the meringues from Le Croissant (on Tache) all the time, though last summer found the ones from Cafe...can't remember the name but it's on Academy near Kenaston near our vet's...to be much more to our liking. Cafe Kohler? We love good meringues, especially ones that are nice and chewy in the center.

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Shortbread fits the description...  I can't think of anything else off the top of my head.

I'm smacking myself now. During the holiday season I had trays of 'icebox cookies' in the showcase. They sold like crazy. Different versions of shortbread would be good.

I'm wondering if people would buy meringue cookies? I make them for passover... but for the rest of the year? hmm.

I thought of meringues after I posted about the shortbread. I was in a patisserie recently near Toronto which sold many varieties of shortbread, and as well as meringue cookies, they sold meringue nests and larger meringue baskets which you could also do, depending on demand.

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I don't have time to be baking fresh things for this case on a daily basis. 

Lavosh and other savory crackers last a while...If you have room in your freezer, you could bake things like brownies, cupcakes, etc. in big batches and freeze them... then pull out what you can sell in a day and just frost them.

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What about hazelnut, coconut, chocolate and almond macaroons?

Zimtsterne (Cinnamon Stars)

The blog writer said that were made for Yom Kippur. I am not sure this is correct. My grandmother said that they made them for Hannukah. They are yummy cookies anytime of year.

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OK... shortbread and meringues. Michelle, I'm already doing a cinnamon cookie - but I'll keep this one in mind for when I want to give my other one a rest (poor thing - it's very popular and is constantly in demand).

I have a column due tomorrow - and what I planned on doing didn't work out for a variety of reasons - so I've tried a couple of new cookies today, and will do some more tomorrow. If they work out and have a good shelf life, they'll make it into the case too.

Matsu - I'm already doing brownies - and I have several 'squares' on my to do list, but I tend to keep them in the refrigerated case. I've thought of doing cupcakes many times... but for some reason never seem to get them done. I'm not sure if they'd sell well with my crowd...

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I love mint meringues sandwiched with a dark chocolate ganache. If the cream to chocolate ratio was low, they should be fine at room temp for quite awhile. And what about marshmallows?

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Orison Swett Marden

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Do you already do florentines? I like both the bar and the cookie type. Goodies used to do a decent bar version (the crust wasn't very tasty, though), and Gunn's does a pretty good cookie version. Anything with nuts goes over very well in my family. Hint hint (even though I'm not due back in YWG for awhile...)

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Great suggestions.

I just picked up some new extracts and dyes (I have no idea where mine went in the move). I love the idea of sandwiches flavoured meringues with ganache. I'll be making some batches of curd tomorrow, so the whites will be whipped, flavoured, tinted, baked and sandwiched! Thanks.

Florentines are a great idea - I haven't made them in years. I like the idea of making them into a bar - or 'fingers' and dipping them partially in chocolate. Funny I never notice these things when I go into Gunn's....

Rugalach. Over the years I've made many - but I'm not happy with my recipe. I'll do some experimenting.

I don't know if I mentioned this - but I'm trying to keep all of the dry baking completely dairy-free. It causes some problems - like no cream cheese crusts. But I'll see what I can come up with.

Thanks again everybody! If I ever get the showcase filled, I'll post a picture.

-Pam

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How about: (hope I'm not repeating what's already written)

chocolate chip coconut macaroons

flavored palmiers, coated with chocolate (if you had the time you could make your own flavored puff pastry, like pistachio or chocolate cinnamon)

a ton of brownies.........all different flavors and textures. Drizzle with tempered chocolate so they don't need refridgeration

Fruit turn overs made from puff pastry last a couple days or/and you can make them up in bulk then freeze and cook off a couple everyday.

A variety of shortbread cookies..........not butter or decorated sugar cookies

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rather than keeping the cookies for a long time, can't you just make and portion the dough and store it in the fridge/freezer and bake off what you need each day? that way, it is still fresh. if they don't sell, you can keep them over for the next day and just bake off enough to fill your case.

if you don't have storage in your coolers, ignore this post :wink:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sheesh. I meant to reply to this a few days ago. :huh:

rather than keeping the cookies for a long time, can't you just make and portion the dough and store it in the fridge/freezer and bake off what you need each day?  that way, it is still fresh.  if they don't sell, you can keep them over for the next day and just bake off enough to fill your case.

I would love to do it this way - I just really don't have the time. Baking is only about 1/10th of what I do. I try to set aside a couple of half-days a week to work on baking - and sometimes I don't even get that. So of I can do things that have a good shelf-life, it just makes life easier.

The Jewish stuff lends itself well for this sort of thing - it's all dry and lasts a long time. But even with that stuff, I sometimes make a huge batch and freeze a lot of it - restocking every couple of days.

My freezer is full of the stuff that goes into the cold showcase - mini cheesecakes that just need toppings and whipped cream - little cinnamon rounds waiting to be layered with whipped cream to become mini-tortes - other little cakes - tubs of lemon/lime curd and tart shells to be filled and topped, brownies - that sort of thing. I'm having a hard time keeping this stocked as well.

I'll report back if I ever get that other showcase filled! :rolleyes::wink:

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I love mint meringues sandwiched with a dark chocolate ganache. If the cream to chocolate ratio was low, they should be fine at room temp for quite awhile. And what about marshmallows?

How low would you go? :blink:

I forgot to ask this is my last post. I baked some mint meringues (light and crispy, not chewy). I made some ganache (I think it was about 8 oz. creamy stuff (don't ask) to approx. 15 oz. chocolate). Waited until thick and cool - then piped some on and sandwiched. I only did a few because I wanted to see what would happen - and they got very soft and started to disintegrate. I don't want to use straight chocolate - but how much cream do you think would work without harming the meringue?

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I love mint meringues sandwiched with a dark chocolate ganache. If the cream to chocolate ratio was low, they should be fine at room temp for quite awhile. And what about marshmallows?

How low would you go? :blink:

I forgot to ask this is my last post. I baked some mint meringues (light and crispy, not chewy). I made some ganache (I think it was about 8 oz. creamy stuff (don't ask) to approx. 15 oz. chocolate). Waited until thick and cool - then piped some on and sandwiched. I only did a few because I wanted to see what would happen - and they got very soft and started to disintegrate. I don't want to use straight chocolate - but how much cream do you think would work without harming the meringue?

That's odd! I've never had them disintegrate. The ratio sounds fine to me. I froze the sandwiched cookies before serving. I don't know if that made any difference. I hadn't planned on making them anytime soon but I happen to have a bowlful of eggwhites in the fridge right now so I'll see if I have time to give it a try in the next couple days and let you know what I find. I didn't use "creamy stuff" but heavy cream. Could that make the difference?

Edited by CanadianBakin' (log)

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Orison Swett Marden

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That's odd! I've never had them disintegrate. The ratio sounds fine to me. I froze the sandwiched cookies before serving. I don't know if that made any difference. I hadn't planned on making them anytime soon but I happen to have a bowlful of eggwhites in the fridge right now so I'll see if I have time to give it a try in the next couple days and let you know what I find. I didn't use "creamy stuff" but heavy cream. Could that make the difference?

I know it's odd! :biggrin:

*sigh*

ok. don't ban me from eGullet. The 'creamy stuff' is a non-dairy substitute. I'm trying to keep them non-dairy. I promise you - it still tastes good.

How long did they sit out after you froze them? I left them over night, and they were a big mushy mess the next day. and I so love this idea.... in fact I was going to do orange and coconut ones too.

I suppose it wouldn't be terrible if it was just dipped in some chocolate and sandwiched...

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Hiya, I'm not sure if you meant this when you said 'dipped in chocolate and then sandwiched' (in which case ignore me completely :biggrin: ) but could you apply a thin coat of chocolate on the meringue where the ganache will sit, let it set then sandwich them together? That way the chocolate can protect the meringue from the moisture in the ganache?

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Hiya, I'm not sure if you meant this when you said 'dipped in chocolate and then sandwiched' (in which case ignore me completely  :biggrin: ) but could you apply a thin coat of chocolate on the meringue where the ganache will sit, let it set then sandwich them together? That way the chocolate can protect the meringue from the moisture in the ganache?

I meant just dipping the bottoms and then sandwiching two together while still melted. But I like your idea more!

Ideally, it would just be the ganache - one step instead of two. But if I can't get that to work, I love your idea. Thanks!

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