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Long-term planning
Hello!
For many years, I have baked and given away tins of assorted cookies for the holidays. The collection has grown to 11 different cookies and 2 kinds of truffles -- and the list of recipients to 50 tins or so. It has gotten out of hand! Or at least, just too difficult for me to manage with work and other things.
For next year (this year is done -- and just about did me in!), I am hoping to find some other alternative. Someone suggested making loaf cakes or some such thing to give away. Would there be something doable? It would be so good not to have to give up the whole idea! Maybe one loaf/cake per recipient (which is often a small office or family) would be feasible.
Any ideas?? All the recipes I have make only 1 or 2 cakes -- I have never tried to bake quantities of cakes. Suggestions would be very gratefully received! And as you see, there is lots of time!!
Many thanks!
Barbara
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I am not a baker--at least (post #68426, reply #1 of 13)
I am not a baker--at least not much any more. And my "cook" list is not anything as great as yours. I know those people feel VERY good about receiving your largesse.
I used to do Moravian sugar cakes. They can be baked in foil pans. It is a good recipe becaue it is a soft dough, and just gets spread in the pan--no real kneading. And the recipe makes at least 5-6 of that size when doubled. It is a "specialty" of our region so kind of nice to give. Plus delicious, of course!!
Maybe a type of coffee cake that will make 4 - 6 at a time? And they can be frozen. There is a delicious (to me, because not so sweet) sour cream coffee cake with a streusel topping.
A loaf pan (small) of ____ bread with a container of flavored (you could do it yourself) cream cheese or butter (honey or maple or such) to spread on it.
Peanut or pecan brittle or toffee.
I think making just one thing, even repetitively, is much easier than the asssortment of cookies.
I give jams and jellies from my summer preserving, pulled pork and bbq sauce (to my close neighbors), smoked chickens and bbq sauce, Sarasota cheese (pub cheese with horseradish), gravlax, etc. to friends
I am no baker,either but i do (post #68426, reply #2 of 13)
I am no baker,either but i do a pumpkin bread recipe I found at King Arthur. Yes, it makes two at a time but I do a couple and freeze from just before Thanksgiving until Xmas. I usually do 10 or so. However, you could get 8x 4 pans and the recipe would make three and you could do it that way. Cookies would go the the really close friends.
Gretchen, the Moravian sugar (post #68426, reply #5 of 13)
Gretchen, the Moravian sugar cake sounds really good. May I request the recipe? 5 or 6 when doubled -- that sounds good!! Can they be frozen, do you know?
Maybe this will work!! I have been very reluctant to give up on the whole thing, but this year was very difficult. Making one cake for each "recipient" could work, especially if I can make them ahead and freeze them.
Barbara
I will post the recipe this (post #68426, reply #9 of 13)
I will post the recipe this afternoon. I'm getting ready to make a few for us.
Another thing which a number of people here give, and we ALL fight to get our share, is buttered salted pecan halves. Oh,man!! Delicious.
And just the right thing to pick up as you pass by.
I cut back this year, but (post #68426, reply #3 of 13)
I cut back this year, but still made quickbreads. I did three last year but went back to my regular two and everyone loves them. I even bought a special pan that has 8ea 4 x 2-1/2 'tins' and I also have 6 ea that are a little bigger. You can double the recipes with no harm, you can freeze them too so your not doing them all at once. You could even hit Michaels or another crafty sort of store and get the after Christmas sales, they'll have the ceramic pans on sale. Give the breads IN the pan!
Duh, the two are chocolate cranberry and Orange Cranberry Nut Bread.
I know what gets me is the outflow for the tins and boxes to hold the stuff. The guys at work that are on the road, sort of, get paper bags with their name and a quick drawing. Family this year has the last of the Christmas containers I'm every buying and what didn't fit in those went in shoeboxes and coffee containers. (I still used colored saran though, can't give it all up) Hit the dollar store too, they have plastic wraps, 25 for a dollar with twisty ties. I can fit two small breads, a ziploc of toffee & bark and another of cookies into one.
But, but, it's SUPPOSED to taste like that!
The chocolate cranberry is a (post #68426, reply #4 of 13)
The chocolate cranberry is a really good idea....I made that back when you first posted it (or was it Meryl?) and it was a big success.
The 4x2-1/2 tins are small, yes -- like individual sizes? That would be too small, but maybe something a bit bigger.
I was thinking of hunting for the heavy paper "tins" (if they exist!), hoping I can find something I can bake the cakes in and give them away in, as baked. Kind of like brioches come in sometimes.
Hmmmm.....freezing might work.....
the paper tins do exist, but (post #68426, reply #6 of 13)
the paper tins do exist, but the dollar store has small foil loaf pans also.
Thank you! Grrrrr....I (post #68426, reply #8 of 13)
Thank you!
Grrrrr....I clicked on the "notify me when new comments are posted" box, but evidently it is there for decoration only. I did not receive any notification from Taunton, about either your (Gretchen's) post or Adele's. Grrr...
Barbara
Meryl posted a bunch of quick (post #68426, reply #7 of 13)
Meryl posted a bunch of quick breads that I quickly made them my own. :) I do the strawberry bread every year too.
But, but, it's SUPPOSED to taste like that!
I'm not sure who you are (post #68426, reply #12 of 13)
I'm not sure who you are replying to, but I have lots of the mini loaf pans, just not silicone as I don't like it.
But, but, it's SUPPOSED to taste like that!
BarbaraK, King Arthur website (post #68426, reply #13 of 13)
BarbaraK, King Arthur website has some nice 'paper' containers that you can bake in for gift giving.
Debby
I know it's past xmas so this (post #68426, reply #10 of 13)
I know it's past xmas so this would be more an idea for next year.. but do you have any of those "mini" loaf pans? I have a set of four silicon mini loaf pans, so when I make something like banana loaf, one recipe makes four of these little mini loaves instead of one big one. You could give mini loaves away as gifts, then with each recipe you'd do four people. They aren't very big but it's the thought that counts (you could always do bigger loaves for bigger families and smaller ones for singles/couples).
Anyway, you are very generous! I have found not many people appreciate good wholesome delicious food, so I limit my baking to a special few now. Happy New Year!
I know it's past xmas so this (post #68426, reply #11 of 13)
I know it's past xmas so this would be more an idea for next year.. but do you have any of those "mini" loaf pans? I have a set of four silicon mini loaf pans, so when I make something like banana loaf, one recipe makes four of these little mini loaves instead of one big one. You could give mini loaves away as gifts, then with each recipe you'd do four people. They aren't very big but it's the thought that counts (you could always do bigger loaves for bigger families and smaller ones for singles/couples).
Anyway, you are very generous! I have found not many people appreciate good wholesome delicious food, so I limit my baking to a special few now. Happy New Year!