A lot of ingredients in baking are becoming more and more expensive.  Butter, flour, sugar… the basics are continually on the rise. A lot of baking enthusiasts are becoming more concerned, particularly those with small baking businesses. Our column this week will answer questions on how to save on these as well as offer alternative methods to make baked goodies more reasonable to sell.
 
Q: Hi Jun Jun and Adoree. I have been baking and selling my brownies and bars for the past two years. Recently, my business started losing money due to the sudden increase in the price of ingredients. Can you suggest some methods on how I can save through my baking or selling methods? (Belen of Bulacan)

Jun Jun: I suggest that you look at your recipes and see if you can substitute certain ingredients with more reasonable ones. A big example is with brownies, it would be more beneficial for you if you use margarine or butter compounds as your fat source, rather than butter. The chocolate or cocoa powder will likely lessen or hide the flavor of your fat. However, if this does not conform to your standards, then please do not use this method.

Packaging is also a big source of cost. Try using cheaper materials to show off your baked product. Another method is, instead of increasing your selling price; why not lessen the number or amount of brownies or bars that you are selling? At times, this will even lower your price.

Also, try making baked goods that can be stored in the freezer rather than baking upon order. You will be saving a lot from lessening the use of your oven. You can also wait for orders to accumulate so that you sell everything in one baking. This method will even make the work a bit lighter for you.

Adoree: Belen, I suggest making your portions smaller or putting lesser quantities in an order. You can also ask for a minimum order so you can bake your products in bigger batches instead of just one recipe. This will help lessen your utility costs.

Q: How do I lessen the impact of the sudden increase in the prices of cookies I sell at work and some of my husband’s friends? (Jane of Mandaluyong)

Jun Jun: The basic items that are very expensive with cookies are the fat source, dried fruits, and nuts. Have you tried a different type of fat? Margarine and shortening are now used by a lot of bakers. This fat will be friendlier when you bake, since the binding properties of items formed during the reaction of flour and shortening or margarine are more stable than those formed with butter.

You can also source your ingredients directly from the supplier so that you get a more reasonable price for them. Also, you can change the size of your cookies into smaller ones and keep your packaging at the simplest form.

Adoree: I suggest making the portions smaller rather than scrimping on the ingredients.

Q: How do I save on the heat of my oven? There are times when I have to wait for my baking pan to cool, and the oven waits too.

Jun Jun: With regards to brownies, make sure to put paper lining at the bottom and at the sides so that they will be easier to remove as a whole, while not disturbing the other items being baked. With this, it will be a lot faster to cool the pans for the next items to be baked. Lessening the waiting time will make sure that you have more than enough baked goods. Also, find out if you can find baked goods that can be baked as the oven cools.

Adoree: Plan your baking time. If it means scheduling all that your baking in one day, do so. If you are selling goodies, I suggest you invest in several baking pans so that when the fist batch of goodies is removed from the oven, you can put another batch right away. In the long run, investing in extra pans are more cost-wise than waiting while the oven is still turned on.

Q: Chefs, would I be saving if I bake brownies or bars in small pans rather than in industrial size baking pans?  (Pamela Pia of Quezon Ctiy)

Jun Jun: Industrial pans are big. Although you can bake more, you’ll also be using more gas or electricity since it will take longer to bake. Why don’t you use a big recipe and bake it in smaller pans? This will lessen baking time. There are also some baking batters or doughs that can be frozen and baked only when needed.

Adoree: Pamela, you are correct. Baking in smaller pans can save you some baking time, so you automatically save on gas or electricity. But, this depends on the type of oven that you use.

Q: I want to save on the use of paper as liners in baking pans. What can I use to save on this item? (Priscilla of Caloocan )

Jun Jun:  Most grease-proof papers are reasonable as well as most baking papers. The best thing about them is that they can be used over and over again, as long as no wet ingredients are spilled on them. If baking paper liners are too expensive, you can always lightly brush pans with oil and sprinkle them with flour.

Adoree: Priscilla, you can just brush the pan with shortening then dust it with flour afterwards.

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