THE ART AND BUSINESS OF upFALL 2018 POWER UP SWEETS Add protein and STIR UP superfoods to SALES Ideas for improving baked goods bakery margins RAIN OR SHINE Weather-proof your baking SIP, SIP, HOORAY! Four fresh ways to bake with FALL 2018

BeI EvR GrA BaEt - Mod Ttn Oke - batter up

Enlightened Treating Baked goods with a boost attract a new wave of Yield: 40 button cookies; #40 scoop trendy eaters.  Gr d e T - AtrD Odcs - • 454g American Almond® Almond Paste • 340g Granulated Sugar American Almond® Almond Paste • 85g Egg Whites CW Dawn Item 00217000 - Stocked in CW • 29g Egg Yolks ® IN EVERY ISSUE • American Almond Granulated as needed American Almond® Whole Almonds • Apricot Glaze as needed Dawn Item 01030733 4 The Goods • Dark Chocolate, tempered as needed Dawn CEOs share their excitement for the holidays • American Almond® Whole Almonds, roasted as needed and celebrate bakeries giving back to their communities. 5 On the Rise  Ret N Best practices for food donations: what to give and 1. Preheat to 350°F. Line sheet tray with parchment. where it goes. 2. On slow speed, mix the almond paste with the sugar. Make That 6 From the Pantry 3. Gradually add the eggs until it creates a smooth paste. Fast facts on Demerara sugar, helpful holiday customer 4. Scoop the paste and roll it in the granulated almond. service tips and ideas for winning product collaborations. How to build a 5. Space the cookies out on the lined tray and bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. pro table business 6. Brush with apricot glaze immediately after they come out of the oven, if desired. 14 5 Steps To ... 7. Optional: drizzle the almond button cookies with tempered dark chocolate and place one whole almond in Weathering imperfect baking conditions. Master in the bakery world? the middle of the cookie before the chocolate sets.  uctuating temperatures and humidity. It's all in the margins. 8. Enjoy! Back Cover Fresh Thinking

Cover photography by Deb Fletcher Cover photography Ideas for getting crafty with beer.

Barry Callebaut USA LLC | 800-8ALMOND | www.americanalmond.com THE Food Donations: ON THE GOODS batter up A Step-by-Step Guide RISE VOLUME 3, ISSUE 4 Fall 2018 Fifteen million American households went without a meal at some point last year, while food waste is the single largest component going into American land lls. DAWN FOODS ADVISORY BOARD Chief Executive Of cers Carrie Jones-Barber & Serhat Unsal Chief Marketing Of cer Angie Goldberg Vice President of Marketing Becky Loveland Senior Director, Global Communications & Corporate Branding Jonathan Aplin

Senior Manager, Marketing Communications Giving Back for the Holidays Alexis Gilbert Marketing Content Manager I’m not sure Let’s go! Jamie Dittenber For many, fall is an exciting time of year—from beautiful autumn foliage to the return of ARE YOU READY TO DONATE college football and cozy sweaters that signify winter is just around the corner. Batter Up is the ultimate EXTRA BAKERY PRODUCTS For bakers, fall ushers in a urry of activity, and preparations for the holiday busy PUBLISHING PARTNER business resource for artisanal bakers, Publisher featuring actionable Why it’s worth donating AND INGREDIENTS? season begin as soon as Halloween decorations are put on display. James Meyers advice for meeting the bottom line, inspiring EVP, Design In addition to helping those in need, A er all, can you imagine  anksgiving without a delicious pumpkin or pecan pie for ideas for wowing Doug Kelly donating leftover food can: customers and guidance on harnessing the latest dessert? Or Christmas without festively decorated cookies? Neither can we. And neither EVP, Chief Content trends in the bakery Of cer industry. Issued quarterly can the millions of people rushing to their local bakeries to  nd the perfect sweet treat to Kim Caviness 1 2 3 4 and hand-delivered to WHERE CAN YOUR VP, Content readers, the magazine Lower Eliminate Bene t Build bakery complement their holiday meals. Marla Clark is a Dawn Foods publication produced costs of unsellable from tax brand DONATIONS GO? While we all look forward to the upswing in store tra c and growth the holiday season Content Manager by Imagination, 600 W. waste inventory deductions recognition Ashley Greene Bernick Fulton St., Suite 600, removal brings, it’s also a time to re ect on the important role bakeries play in communities across Chicago, IL 60661; (312) (Most food banks Editor 887-1000. All rights offer free pickup) the country. Emelia Fredlick reserved. © Assistant Editor Dawn Foods is a third- Each year, we’re overwhelmed by the outpouring of stories from our customers who Jessica Boden generation family business passionately give back to those in need during the holidays. Whether through food donations, volunteer Art Director committed to creating Liz Shields life’s sweet moments. Food recovery Food Local work or sponsorships, our partners make an immense impact in their local communities. Dawn Foods offers Associate Program artisanal bakers, 1 organization 2 bank 3 cause Manager foodservice leaders, We know this is an incredibly busy time of year for you and your bakery, which makes Margaret Dunn baked goods manufacturers and Try the these contributions even more inspiring. Contributors in-store bakeries across Danielle Braff the globe a complete Food Recovery Visit Erin Brereton selection of innovative Network At Dawn, this is something we take to heart, and each year we look forward to Kate Rockwood products—including mixes, bases, icings, or the FEEDINGAMERICA.ORG partnering with our own local communities where we live and work to give back. Please write us at: glazes, llings and to nd your local bank. Community events Batter Up magazine frozen dough, as well Food Waste We encourage everyone to  nd ways—whether big or small—to give back this holiday Imagination as par-baked and fully 600 W. Fulton St. baked products—and Reduction Alliance, Finished baked goods season and to be proud of the impact you have. While it may be chilly outside, there’s Suite 600 access to a network Chicago, IL 60661 of bakery distribution which deliver donations can be a good t for donating endless comfort in a warm straight out of the oven and in the unforgettable centers. Headquartered to food banks. to charitable bake sales or Unless otherwise speci ed, in Jackson, Michigan, fundraising events. Think all correspondence sent to Dawn Foods employs Community service memories shared over dessert with family gathered around the table.  ese moments— Batter Up is assumed for nearly 5,000 people in Organizations may seek nonperishables like schools, extracurricular publication and becomes 57 locations worldwide organization life’s sweetest moments—are made possible by you. the copyright property of and operates in 105 shelf-stable milk, organizations and Dawn Foods. countries. dried fruits and nuts, Food banks connect with: religious institutions. From our family to yours, we wish you all a successful holiday season ahead! and and biscuit mixes. Sincerely, Religious Schools Homeless institutions shelters 3333 Sargent Road Jackson, MI 49201

Carrie Jones-Barber Serhat Unsal The impact: Those in need 1 1.2 pounds of food produces 1 meal CEO CEO 1.2 lbs =

Sources: “Donating Food,” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; “United States Tax Bene ts,” Food Donation Connection; “The Prevalence of Food Insecurity Was Unchanged From 2015 to 2016,” U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, 4 BATTER UP | Fall 2018 Sept. 14, 2017; “Frequently Asked Questions,” U.S. Department of Agriculture; “Meal Math,” GenerationOn; “How to Donate Food So It Won’t Go to Waste,” Deb Martinson, Reader’s Digest; “Find Your Local Food Bank,” Feeding America; “De nitions of Food Security,” U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, Oct. 4, 2017\ FROM THE INNOVATION PANTRY Joining Forces STATION Keep It Simple Product collaborations inspire delectable During product development,  e Salty Donut experiments with sweetness, acidity, textures creations—and business success. 1 and avor complexity—but to the customer, Rodriguez says, the  nished creation should taste deliciously simple. “It’s our job to execute at the highest of levels, but the customer should only have to worry about recognizing that they’ve just eaten something rustic, simple and special,” he says. Since debuting in Miami in 2015,  e Salty Donut has found that partnerships with other local businesses strengthen its community presence and inspire innovation. Its MAPLE BACON GLAZED DONUT (right), for example, uses products from True Colors two nearby partners: bacon from Staying true to both brands is key, smokehouse Miami Smokers 3 Rodriguez says. During a collaboration CUSTOMER CARE and a porter from J. Wake eld with winery Santa Margherita USA, he Brewing. “We wanted [these remembers saying, “We can’t make a How to maintain top-notch service during the holiday rush brands] because they’re great DONUT WITH A ROSÉ GLAZE (above) people, their product is Opposites Attract just to say we’re doing it. It needs to taste For bakeries, the holidays mean creating memorable festive desserts and an spectacular, and [we wanted] 2  e Salty Donut, known for unique avors like guava-cream and white like our products.” Finding the avor uptick in orders.  ey’re also an opportunity to turn  rst-time visitors into to support other local chocolate-tres leches, and Knaus Berry Farm, with its more traditional combination that’s equally Salty Donut regulars with superior customer service. According to a 2017 businesses,” says co-founder o erings, may seem like an unlikely pair. However, the latter’s status pastry and Santa Margherita rosé helped Trustpilot survey, consumers consider all-star service one Andy Rodriguez. Beyond these as a 60-year-old community staple and  e Salty Donut’s younger Rodriguez guarantee both partners were of the most important elements in their holiday shopping bene ts, developing co-branded demographic and social media savvy complemented one another when represented in the creation—and that experiences. And as Max Fried, third-generation owner of STICKY-BUN DONUT BEST products can expose bakeries to they teamed up for a (above). “When you put consumers recognized the brands they Freed’s Bakery in Las Vegas, has found, a great experience PRACTICE new customer bases. Here, together quirky things that are on a similar level but for di erent people, know and love. o en boils down to ef ciency and knowledgeable, Rodriguez shares tips for people get excited,” Rodriguez says, noting the power of both brands’ helpful employees . “When it comes to customer service, mastering product collaborations. commitment to promoting the product to their customer bases. —Emelia Fredlick Salty Donut The photos courtesy of Photos by iStock, we try to provide an awesome experience—and a quick experience,” he says. Fried relies on these tried-and-true tactics:

Offer Speedy Order Set Up Staff for Success Placing and Pickup Friendly and knowledgeable Some customers want to leisurely service can leave a lasting, positive browse bakery displays before impression on customers, which making a purchase, but others are can encourage loyalty. Fried ensures more interested in getting in and his employees truly know the ins out fast. To accommodate the latter and outs of every product with COULD IT group, Freed’s set up a separate thorough onboarding and manuals CATCH ON? DEMERARA SUGAR prepaid pickup line in the bakery, with product information. To further so customers who’ve placed orders encourage con dence and job Brown sugar's minimally re ned counterpart sparks intrigue. online can grab their treats quickly. satisfaction among employees, he To maintain that e ciency in the encourages them to ask questions days leading up to  anksgiving and provide feedback. “Keeping In spring 2018, Little Dom’s in Los Angeles sold a blood and Christmas—the bakery’s people excited to come to work What Is It? How Do I Use It? Demerara orange and mascarpone crostata topped with a busiest—Freed’s asks that all orders translates to a happier customer,” Originally from present-day 11% 28% Demerara can stand in for brown sugar in in Dessert Demerara-vanilla sauce, cocoa nibs and dark rum gelato. placed in advance be paid in full Fried says. “Creating a bakery where Guyana, Demerara is raw, baked goods, and its natural toffeelike avor and to avoid “a backlog in line and a both customers and employees feel Bacchus House Wine, Bar & Bistro in Folsom, California, light brown cane sugar OF CONSUMERS OF CONSUMERS ARE coarse texture make for a delicious crunchy Action negative experience,” Fried says. like family has been paramount to has offered ginger cake made with Demerara that is minimally re ned HAVE TRIED IT INTERESTED IN TRYING IT topping for crumbles or pies. Praised for its use our success.” sugar, lemon crema and candied cranberries. —Jessica Boden and has a large grain. in brown-liquor cocktails, Demerara can also star

6 BATTER UP | Fall 2018 SOURCE: ON THE MENU ISSUE 53, DATASSENTIAL, OCTOBER 2017 in dark alcohol-infused desserts. —AshleyDawnFoods.com Greene Bernick 7 TEN YEARS AGO, A MUFFIN MERELY SEEMED LIKE AN EASY, ON-THE-GO BREAKFAST OPTION TO ENLIGHTENED MANY CONSUMERS. BUT IN THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENED EATING, SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A MUFFIN CAN SERVE AS A HELPFUL SOURCE OF PROTEIN, FIBER, VITAMINS AND OTHER NUTRIENTS. TREATING  e demand for food with inherent bene ts is growing: In 2017, three-quarters of consumers said they tried to eat more protein or are interested in doing so, according to Mintel. Separate research from Information Resources found 60 percent of consumers want snacks that deliver additional bene ts beyond nutrition, such as antioxidants, and 59 percent want snacks with vitamins and minerals.  is trend presents a unique opportunity for bakeries: By using ingredients ranging from protein-rich nuts to probiotic-packed Greek yogurt in products, bakeries can satisfy consumers’ dual desire for taste and nutritional advantages. In fact, the rising popularity of healthy baked goods is expected to help the global bakery products market reach $570 billion by 2024, according to Global Industry Analysts. Although some people look for or avoid speci c ingredients because of dietary restrictions or food allergies, many choose enlightened items for their health value, according to Jennifer LaPaugh, senior director, global Superfood Bread market research and insights at Dawn Foods. Katherine Simpson, “Consumers are proactively seeking inherent bene ts from food, like Applications Chef, Dawn Foods protein that helps build muscle or probiotics that contribute to healthy 2 pounds Dawn RichCreme digestion—they’re using food to fuel their bodies,” LaPaugh says. “ ey Cake Base want to enjoy the foods they eat and feel good about them. Bakers can meet 1.5 tablespoons cinnamon this need by using a recipe that has a base of something a bit better and then 1/4 teaspoon turmeric adding in the extra ingredients.” 11.2 ounces eggs 9.6 ounces neutral oil Enlightened Eaters: No Longer a Niche 24.9 ounces superfoods, Many bakeries are already capitalizing on this trend—and seeing great such as avocado, pomegranate , shredded carrots, coconut , success. In 1999, Stephen Charles Lincoln came up with the idea for akes, apple chunks, dried mango, protein-packed baked goods as he was standing in a co ee shop, banana chips, dried apricots, dried looking at the store’s display case. blueberries, dried cranberries, oats, almonds, pecans, pistachios, “I had lost 82 pounds and was working as a  tness instructor but still walnuts, axseed, hemp , had a sweet tooth,” Lincoln says. “I saw the cookies and blondies selling sun ower seeds, quinoa and like crazy and thought, ‘Why can’t you make it healthier?’” chia seeds So he did. Lincoln launched the Protein Bakery in New York, selling Using a standing mixer, combine cookies, brownies and other sweets made with whey protein concentrate. cake mix, cinnamon, turmeric and  e concept resonates with people from all walks of life who understand Puffed quinoa eggs. Mix for 1 minute on low speed the bene t of protein but still want a cookie, according to Lincoln. crunch and 3 minutes on medium speed. brownie bars Find all the Enlightened Add oil and 7.2 ounces of water, Story by Erin Brereton Some bakers have sought to cater to niche dietary restrictions only to  nd and mix for 1 minute on low speed. Eating recipes at Photos by Deb Fletcher their products also appeal to a much broader audience. DawnFoods.com/ Scrape the sides of the bowl, and mix for 3 minutes on low speed.  at was the case for Anne Hoyt. In 2010, a er  guring out how to Recipes make gluten-free versions of her favorite recipes for her daughter, who Fold all superfoods into batter. Working in 12-ounce batches, had been diagnosed with celiac disease, Hoyt opened Unre ned Bakery in Superfood cookie snack bites deposit batter into 7 mini loaf pans. dipped in white, milk Dallas.  e bakery sells a variety of health-minded fare, from bread made Bake loaves at 350 F for 45 minutes. and dark chocolate with rice, sorghum and quinoa our blends to cupcakes made with coconut Yields 7 mini bread loaves

DawnFoods.com 9 Matcha white chocolate bark with coconut akes and freeze-dried Enlightening Your Baked Goods raspberries Hoyt has found adding paleo, keto and vegan items to the menu requires recipe adjustments to maintain products’ consistency and taste. “ ere was a lot to learn,” Hoyt says. “We got really good at understanding what does what. We use tapioca in one of our paleo ; it li s better because of the starch—it’s a root, not a grain, so you can use it. Small gluten-free items like buns and rolls don’t need eggs, but in bread, we needed it to help hold it when it rose.” Other elements can also a ect consistency on a day-to-day basis, according to Hoyt. “ e weather matters, the moisture in the air; the balance between water and xanthan gum is super tricky,” she says. Still, some baked goods are easier to enlighten than others, LaPaugh says. “Mu ns tend to be a very good carrier; ingre- dients can be blended into the batter or added in, or yogurt can be used as a  lling,” she says. “Make sure you have a batter that has a great suspension; the last thing you want is to have all the good things you’ve added fall to the bottom.”

Keep Your Operations Healthy Because healthier baking substitutions and milk. Although some of Unre ned’s customers inclusions can be more costly than tradi- have allergies, Hoyt estimates roughly half buy her STAR tional ingredients, enlightened items’ price products for the taste or their healthy attributes. points o en need to be higher. With the right MAKE Similarly, a personal dietary restriction was SUPERFOODS messaging, this shouldn’t be an issue with the inspiration behind Cindy Kollar’s Smart Not sure which healthy ingredients to start customers, LaPaugh says. Cookie Baker in Elgin, Illinois. Kollar lives with incorporating into your baked goods? “Consumers are typically willing to pay more Type 1 diabetes and follows a doctor-recom- Consider these suggestions. for enlightened items, as they understand there mended low-carb diet. She uses ingredients like is an added health bene t,” she says. “We’ve seen Greek yogurt: Packed with protein, coconut oil, almond and axseed meal in her calcium and probiotics, Greek yogurt can bakeries have success by o ering these items at mu ns, cookies, breads and other baked goods. stand in for fats like sour cream. the same price point in a smaller-size o ering. Kollar initially assumed her customers would  is has the added bene t for consumers of a be individuals with similar dietary restrictions. Fruits and vegetables: Go ‘lighter’ version treat for the same cost they are beyond the standard blueberry, lemon However, friends started recommending her and sweet potato with unique avors like used to paying.” THAT goods to people interested in healthy eating. pomegranate, dates and purple yams. In addition to displaying enlightened items in a visibly distinctive place, use their healthy ingre- Understanding Emerging Eating Habits Nuts and seeds: Add good fats and dients as a noticeable garnish. For example, top protein, as well as rich taste and texture, Most enlightened eaters regularly monitor new with walnuts and chia and sun ower seeds. breakfast bars made with nuts and seeds with a health trends, whether it’s a superfood known to sprinkle of more nuts and seeds. so en hair or a diet that boosts energy. It’s also important to communicate products’ Since Kollar has found many customers are important that they know what matters most to healthy components with clear, eye-catching Dough looking for food that delivers more than one their customers. in-store signage. health bene t, she recommends bakeries test Hoyt attributes Unre ned’s growth over the “A few key terms that a baker could consider HOW TO BUILD A items that ful ll two or more dietary needs. past eight years to the way the business carefully would be ‘fuel,’ ‘natural’ and ‘protein,’” LaPaugh PROFITABLE BUSINESS “ ere’s a combination of people who are keto listens to customer feedback and requests. says. “Noting the speci c bene t of an ingredient and gluten-free, or gluten-free and vegan, or they “Over time, we’ve learned from our customers, is important, as well.” IN THE BAKERY WORLD? tend to do paleo and gluten-free,” she says. “Some and we’ve changed a lot, depending on what they With the right understanding of who enlight- of it is inherent in the eating mindset; a lot of times, ask us for and need,” she says. ened eaters are and what they’re looking for, there are multiple things they’re looking for.”  is level of attention has drawn in bakers can capitalize on evolving health trends. While it can be di cult for bakers to track customers, and those customers’ word-of-mouth IT’S ALL IN THE MARGINS. emerging diets and trending ingredients, it’s recommendations helped fuel more growth. Erin Brereton is a freelance writer in Chicago. By Kate Rockwood 10 BATTER UP | Fall 2018 aintaining protability can be a chal- because in the vast and diverse world of baked vidual items, which measures how the retail Here are some other considerations to lenge for any business owner: A 2017 goods, not all products are created equal—or price of a product compares to the cost of the improve your bakery’s protability. study by analytics rm FactWorks found with equal costs. ingredients, labor and packaging needed to 3 Business Metrics M45 percent of small businesses consider For Carissa Waechter, who opened Carissa’s make it. e second was the amount remaining Size up the Cents it a major challenge. In the bakery industry in e Bakery, a full-service retail bakery in East at the end of the day, because high food waste Understanding the costs that go into every TO KNOW LIKE THE BACK OF YOUR SPATULA particular, protability is subject to changing Hampton, New York, last year, nding products can quickly negate any prot made on the items single product is imperative to building a prof- commodity costs for ingredients. that allowed for the best margins was a bit of an that sold. itable operation, says Beth Fahey, owner and What you need to track to ensure your bakery is on course “Costs change a lot—eggs, butter—they experiment. e sweet spot lies in items that are both operator of Creative Cakes Bakery and Café in for pro tability success uctuate a lot,” says Libby Godecke, owner “We had our standard lineup of breads and protable and sell well, Waechter says. One Tinley Park, Illinois. “Bakers need to do costing of Chicago Custom Cakes. To keep track of added pies and cakes and all this stu to see unexpected winner? “We weren’t sure if people on every single product at least once a quarter,” industry ups and downs—and make sure she’s what sticks and what people are really looking wanted custom cakes at rst, but they do,” she she says. “We use a program called BakeSmart CREATE YOUR CASH FLOW FORECAST bringing in more money than she’s spending— for,” Waechter says. As the bakery continued says. And custom cakes satisfy both business that [helps you analyze] your direct costs—your Cash ow is the lifeblood of any business, and projecting cash ow in advance Godecke monitors her expenses, ingredient to ll its shelves with dierent baked goods, goals: ey’re more protable than other bakery ingredients—as well as your indirect costs like can help bakers identify problems before they arise. To create your forecast, add 1 the total cash your bakery has in savings to the projected sales for the next four inventory and product pricing closely. Her Waechter’s team was careful to track two key items, and because they’re custom-ordered, labor and packaging.” recipe for bakery success constantly evolves, metrics. e rst was the prot margin on indi- food waste isn’t an issue. ose indirect costs are easy to overlook, weeks, then subtract the projected cash out ow for the next four weeks. but they’re perhaps the biggest piece of the Cash ow = Savings + Projected − Projected cash protability puzzle. “Time is everything in the forecast sales outow bakery world,” says Waechter. “You may think something is cheap to produce because of low If the resulting number is negative, you may need to reduce costs or consider TREAT YOUR TIME AS THOUGH IT WERE OR SUGAR. AND AT THE END OF THE ingredient cost, but if you’re spending all this other nancial alternatives. time making it or packaging it or selling it, it DAY, IF SOMETHING IS NOT MAKING ANY MONEY, CUT IT FROM YOUR OFFERINGS. gets expensive.” — Carissa Waechter, owner, Carissa’s The Bakery To understand those intangible costs, BE AWARE OF YOUR CYCLE TIME Waechter breaks down the time spent on each This is the time needed for the start-to-nish production of one unit— product and assigns a dollar amount to the labor 2 everything from a batch of mufns to an elaborate wedding cake. Assessing this hours. “Treat your time as though it were our metric regularly (say, every quarter) helps bakers spot production bottlenecks, or sugar,” she says. “And at the end of the day, if calculate labor costs and ultimately assess prot margins on individual items. something is not making any money, cut it from your oerings.” Godecke, for her part, notes that wedding CALCULATE YOUR GROSS MARGIN cakes cost more to produce than other bakery Sales alone aren’t reason to celebrate: Make sure higher sales are actually oerings. “It costs more money to acquire leading to higher prots. To gauge that, calculate your gross margin: Subtract 3 the cost of goods sold (including ingredients, supplies, labor and retail space) brides,” she says. “I have to exhibit at wedding from your total sales revenue, and divide that number by the total sales revenue. shows, and those costs add up.” She says that the payo is worth it, though, as wedding cakes Gross Total sales revenue – Cost of goods sold bring in the most money. = margin Total sales revenue Chicago Custom Cakes is a small but stable business, and Godecke has grown comfort- The higher the resulting percentage, the more money your bakery will realize able juggling expenses with prots, knowing it from your sales. sometimes means saying no to business. “It’s just the nature of our business,” she says. “We can do a fair amount of volume, but if people need 500 cupcakes three weekends summer, we manage to do $60 per hour per For instance, she says, vanilla and lemon in a row, I know we won’t be able to produce person.” Consider online management so- cakes—two of her staple items—leverage the that efficiently.” ware like Teamdeck or Harvest Forecast, which same foundational ingredients, so she can con- can be useful in measuring productivity. dently buy those items in bulk, without fear that Trim Costs to Boost Margins And as always, the actual ingredients still lesser-used ingredients may go to waste. In addition to calculating how the cost of play a starring role in reaching protability. Seek Bakeries can also look into swapping a large time impacts a bakery’s prot margin, Fahey out ways to shorten your ingredient list—and number of costly scratch ingredients with a urges bakery operators to measure employees’ achieve economy of scale and less costly food small number of versatile premade mixes, productivity. “Track forecasted labor against waste—while still selling customers exactly which can also save production time. actual labor, and track sales per man-hour— what they want with multiple products. Simple and sweet? at’s a recipe for success. that’s an immediate tell on eciency,” she says. “I have three mother recipes that I use as “In the winter, for example, we’re running at bases, so I always know I’ll need those particular Kate Rockwood is a freelance food and business

Photos by iStock, Stocksy Photos by iStock, about $20 of sales per man-hour. But in the ingredients,” Godecke says. writer based in Chicago.

12 BATTER UP | Fall 2018 DawnFoods.com 13 5 STEPS Log Your Temperatures TO ... Record the temperature of shortening, butter and other plastic fats used in baked goods, recommends Katherine Simpson, applications chef at Dawn Foods. If hot weather causes these ingredients to 1 melt, the alignment of their fat crystals changes. “Cookie dough, for example, is one where the temperature of butter is very important,” she says. If a bakery records the temperature of its butter for each batch, it can revisit the log to perfect its cookies and determine a WEATHERING speci c range in which the butter should be kept. Grab a Calculator for Bread Bread dough that’s too cold ferments too slowly, while dough that’s IMPERFECT too warm ferments too quickly, says Robert Bennett, head baker for Choc-O-Pain French Bakery & Café in New Jersey. “Knowing a dough’s 2 desired temperature when it comes out of the mixer determines the temperature of the water you want to use,” he says. Bennett calculates the temperatures of the room and the our, and the heat generated by CONDITIONS the mixer’s friction, to determine his water’s ideal temperature. Tips for managing extreme temperatures and Adjust for Sugar

humidity in the kitchen Humidity Stella Parks, cookbook After moving from author and senior editor Seattle (which has a at Serious Eats, was humid climate) to New 4 previously a pastry chef 3 York (which is much in a restaurant with a basement Healthy, on-trend, and drier), Nicole Edelstein, kitchen that wasn’t temperature- founder and chief controlled. Some dry ingredients maker at Nicole Macaron, often needed to be warmed up realized that if her before use. To bring her sugar to a rested too long before going workable temperature, Parks put right here. in the oven in her new city, 25 pounds of it in the oven at 170 they became too hard and to 200 degrees. The amount of uneven. To prevent this, she time sugar needs to warm up for An unrivaled national footprint, cut down the cookies’ resting recipes depends on the volume of Edible Seeds Specialty time from 30 minutes to sugar and type of pan used, Parks means we can offer the 10. Humidity can also affect says, so keep an eye on it. She dough proo ng. To maintain once forgot about her sugar for Chia Amaranth product consistency, bakers ve hours, resulting in a caramel industry’s most should actively monitor proof creation with a rich taste and color, Flax Millet box conditions and adjust which she wrote about in a James comprehensive line of settings as conditions vary. Beard Award-nominated article. Pumpkin Oat today’s healthiest, on-trend Sunflour Quinoa Keep Butter Cool ingredients. Tracking butter’s temperature is one thing—keeping it cold while using it is another. If Parks’ kitchen is heating up, she places her sugar bin in her walk-in fridge so the sugar stays cold and doesn’t 5 melt the butter once they’re mixed. She also lines the base of her ® work station with ice and places the butter on top so it stays chilled. For more information on our products, call 1-800-553-5687 or visit www.baystatemilling.com

—Danielle Braff Image by iStock

14 BATTER UP | Fall 2018 © Copyright 2018 FRESH THINKING

SWEET WHEAT Caramel Apple Beer Bread Add walnuts, cinnamon, apple pieces and wheat beer to sweet bread batter. Top batter with caramel sauce and bake.

CAKE WALK Lemon Pilsner Cake Stir pilsner into lemon cake batter and bake. Top cake with cream cheese icing made with heavy cream, vanilla and additional pilsner.

STOUT SWEETS STANDOUT Sweet Potato Chocolate Stout Mix cinnamon, stout beer and mashed sweet potato into white cake mix. Set aside half of the ON TAP batter. Mix black cocoa into remaining batter. Alternate scoops of the two batters into Use BEER to brew loaf pans, swirl and bake. up new menu items for your bakery. BITTER MEETS SWEET Lager- and Maple- Glazed Donuts Add dark lager to donut batter before frying. After donuts cool, dip them in glaze made of maple syrup and more For the full Sweet Potato dark lager. Chocolate Stout Quick Bread recipe, visit DawnFoods.com/ Recipes Sources: The Beeroness; Dawn Foods; Bake from Scratch Bake Dawn Foods; Beeroness; The Sources: