wholesale cookies and pastries

[lentil]

Hi again, all!

I have just taken on a couple of wholesale baking jobs as a result of a bakery closing. This place was a couple of towns away and supplied all the little stores with cookies, brownies, turnovers, etc.

Today was the first order, and I made NY Style coffee cake squares, brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and lemon squares. My cc cookie recipe is a good one but I don't have a tried and true pb and oatmeal recipe. Do any of you professional bakers have recipes you'd consider sharing? My only criteria is that it use butter instead of crisco or other shortening.

Also, any ideas on turnover fillings that aren't commercial? I really don't want to buy the prepared fillings, but want to be sure my fillings are substantial enough not to run out of the pastry.

Thanks for any ideas you may have.

[sugar]

you could try making your own "prepared" fillings by using iqf fruits and then using instant clearjel (just add it to thawed fruit with sugar/lemon juice, etc), which will gel at cooler temperatures and won't run as much. The only problem is that it's a GMO product so a lot of health conscious people won't like it if you use that.

Otherwise, you can pre-cook a filling using cornstarch over the stove. certain fruits like different starches, for example, potatoe starch works good with peaches. Just seal your turnovers well and spray your parchment so that any leakers will not stick too bad.

good luck!

[felixe the dog]

Also, if you are going to bulk prep and freeze the turnovers the starch (other than clearjel) should be modified so that it is freezer stable, you don't want retrogradation.
Also to help avoid leaks and boiling out, the oven temp should be high enough to ensure the rule "bake the pastry before the filling boils!"
These are both points you may already know but it doesn't hurt to remind everyone (including myself).

[lentil]

Originally Posted by felixe the dog

Also, if you are going to bulk prep and freeze the turnovers the starch (other than clearjel) should be modified so that it is freezer stable, you don't want retrogradation.
Also to help avoid leaks and boiling out, the oven temp should be high enough to ensure the rule "bake the pastry before the filling boils!"
These are both points you may already know but it doesn't hurt to remind everyone (including myself).

Nope, Felix. I don't know. I'm not a professional baker- my experience with baking has been as a home baker...and I never really enjoyed that much. I've taken on this wholesale job because I know how slow things get in the winter around here. Any (detailed) instructions you have will be greatly appreciated.

What is and where can I find cleargel?