Bake stuff to make in advance

[Tepee]

A friend has asked me to help out to bake for a charity bazaar on Sept 10. They need tons of stuff to sell. Since during that week, I've a kid sitting for a major public exam and an elaborate full moon cake to do, and busting my small oven and my butt, I told her I'd come up with:

20 boxes pistachio biscotti - pack of 10

24 boxes choc coated flapjacks - pack of 5

30 boxes lemon bars - pack of 7

20 boxes choc cupcakes with choc frosting - pack of 3

She told me that's great but she needs DOUBLE that!

I'd appreciate ideas for stuff that keeps well or I can make a week ahead and possibly freeze, except I don't have much freezing space either. I could pass some over to her house for freezing. She even says she can send her maid over to help me on Fri and Sat before the sale. Oh...and the bakes can't be anything which melt at our room temperature (80 plus deg F and humidity to boot).

Thanks! I've never done this much baking in such a short space of time...just hope I don't end up a nervous-wreck.

Edited August 25, 2006 by Tepee (log)

[Betts]

Why do you have to do all of it? Your friend is responsible and you are doing a big chunk - tell her to enlist another volunteer.

Explain that you are at full capacity and beyond that is a public health risk - that should get her attention.

[etalanian]

Wow, you really have your hands full. How many ovens do you have?

You can freeze the cupcakes frosted or unfrosted. You can bake ahead, freeze, and refresh the biscotti in the oven.

You can mix cookie dough, like choc chip, raisin oatmeal, etc., shape it the way it would be to bake, and freeze it on trays, then pack in airtight containers and keep in freezer until ready to bake.

You can also bake brownies and freeze them.

You might try a few kinds of different flavored bars, since they are easy to bake and freeze and can be cut at the last minute.

Good luck. I hope you get some sleep.

Eileen

[prasantrin]

Are all the goods supposed to be packaged?

Loaf cakes tend to freeze very well--pound cakes, banana cakes...stuff like that. They're also very easy to make, so it would help take the stress off prep. One mini-loaf could be one package, so you could easily get 6 or so mini loaves out of one recipe. Or use muffin tins, instead.

If you're good with pastry, you could make mini tart shells (or buy them if available) and freeze them, and some kind of filling that's easy to freeze (lemon curd?). The defrost and fill at the list minute. If you use a pastry bag the filling will be quite quick.

Scones also freeze very well and are easy to make. You could do a variety of sweet and savoury flavours.

Yeasted coffee cakes or cinnamon rolls--frost after defrosting.

All of the above could be made now and frozen without much harm, I think (except maybe for the lemon curd?).

I don't know all the details, but it seems like your friend is being a little pushy about what she expects from you. You're volunteering your time and effort, after all. Perhaps you could guarantee your original offering, and let her know that you'll try to do more but you might not be able to do as much as she'd like. Or request her maid's service for more than just two days. I'd ask for a week, personally, and maybe at least one more helping hand.

[Tepee]

Thank you all for the moral support and the great, great ideas. I'm getting so stressed up thinking how I'm going to juggle in all that. I think I'll go with Rona's suggestion of telling her that I'll guarantee my original offering and will contribute extra if I can. Your ideas have helped me spread out some of my original bakes to earlier...thanks..less last minute stress! Yes, I think my pal is coming on a bit strong but she's also desperate...she and her circle of friends can't bake to save their lives. Hubby suggested buying simple cakes from small bakeries, doll them up a bit with frosting, nuts, etc...then re-package them (yes..everything needs to be packaged nicely...doesn't want cheapo looking stuff...and ribboned with their colours). She doesn't even want cakes baked in aluminium loaf foils (real time saver). She wants quality at a low price. Sigh.

I've one conventional electric oven which is on the small side, and one oven toaster which I think I'll use for the bars/slices.

Thanks again. I feel a load off my chest.

[Tepee]

Hi

I survived the baking...albeit by the skin of my teeth...my (bigger) oven broke down...never done that in 8 yrs...and I was left with the toy oven for half the baking sessions. Thanks, people, for your words of advice and help. I also found a wholesale bakery near my place...ordered some blueberry cheese tarts at a good price, and repacked them nicely.

Posted the stuff I made here.