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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
I grew up with a family that isn’t big on desserts around holidays family dinner

im pretty curious on what are typical desserts that families have during Christmas? Is it the yule log, fruit cake, a pie, iced out sugar cookies Or something else?
 

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Having baked professionally over many holidays, the recurrent best seller always seems to be pie. That's always been number one. Other things that sell well seem to be more dependent on the area you're in. In one location, people really loved the decorated xmas cookies. In another, I was able to sell a good number of yule logs. One place I worked had a pretty good demographic of people of Scandinavian heritage and I created build-your-own kransekake kits which included the prebaked almond rings and ingredients to make the icing with instructions. I also included little paper Scandinavian flags (Norway, Sweden, Finland).
I've also made gingerbread house kits with prebaked pieces, candies and a royal icing recipe. They sold surprisingly well.

I've always taken stock of the area I'm in, what is currently selling well, listening to customer comments (usually overheard), and the general demographic. I also check out other local establishments to see what they're making and taking note of that as well.
 

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People like traditions - they don't want to branch out for the holidays typically. Last year, we sold individual desserts because of the COVID restrictions on gatherings. We did apple pie bars, apple tarts, pecan tarts, flourless chocolate cakes, cranberry walnut tarts, chocolate caramel tarts, carrot cakes, pumpkin rolls and yule logs. I have a hard time selling anything pumpkin after Thanksgiving though!!
 

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Discussion Starter · #5 ·
Having baked professionally over many holidays, the recurrent best seller always seems to be pie. That's always been number one. Other things that sell well seem to be more dependent on the area you're in. In one location, people really loved the decorated xmas cookies. In another, I was able to sell a good number of yule logs. One place I worked had a pretty good demographic of people of Scandinavian heritage and I created build-your-own kransekake kits which included the prebaked almond rings and ingredients to make the icing with instructions. I also included little paper Scandinavian flags (Norway, Sweden, Finland).
I've also made gingerbread house kits with prebaked pieces, candies and a royal icing recipe. They sold surprisingly well.

I've always taken stock of the area I'm in, what is currently selling well, listening to customer comments (usually overheard), and the general demographic. I also check out other local establishments to see what they're making and taking note of that as well.
Oh really … basically like thanksgivig typical pies minus the pumpkin like apple, pecan, cherry etc. Make sense with the decorated xmas cookie, Yule log and gingerbread

I guess they don't really stray away too far to try other flavours like eggnog or peppermint … keep it simple

yeah that's a good tip to check out what other establishment planning to do this year
People like traditions - they don't want to branch out for the holidays typically. Last year, we sold individual desserts because of the COVID restrictions on gatherings. We did apple pie bars, apple tarts, pecan tarts, flourless chocolate cakes, cranberry walnut tarts, chocolate caramel tarts, carrot cakes, pumpkin rolls and yule logs. I have a hard time selling anything pumpkin after Thanksgiving though!!
I guess this year, people a little bit looser on the restrictions now .. probably can go back on whole size desserts, I assumed

flscours pretty similar to thanksgiving except pumpkin

what about like mini cakes 4" decorated like snowman face?
 

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I guess they don't really stray away too far to try other flavours like eggnog or peppermint … keep it simple
Oh.....you reminded me: eggnog cheesecake is a big seller, as well as cranberry hazelnut tarts and gingerbread. I never did much in the way of peppermint.
 

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Discussion Starter · #7 ·
Oh.....you reminded me: eggnog cheesecake is a big seller, as well as cranberry hazelnut tarts and gingerbread. I never did much in the way of peppermint.
I was thinking about cheesecake … how do you make eggnog cheesecake? you actually use eggnog from a carton and mix In the cheesecake batter?

my cheesecake is just cream cheese, mascarpon, egg, sugar and vanilla extrac…. Adding straight up eggnog to the batter will change the consistency of my cheesecakes
 

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Discussion Starter · #10 ·
Yeah I know but don't want the added liquid eggnog

we offer different flavours cheesecakes as well… we only picked flavours that doesn't change the consistency of the cheesecake filling itself, it what my customers like, it not like soft Cheesecake Factory type .. like fruit for example, we reduce fruit purée to almost like paste or thick enough that can hold up itself and we swirl it in or flavours that is already dry type
 

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Lol funny timing, you posted the same time as me
i could try add nutmeg and see if it work
In addition, add rum compound. I've flavored my cheesecakes with just nutmeg and rum and called them eggnog cheesecakes; it works fine and people buy them. The link I included to an eggnog cheesecake recipe was merely an example that information can be found pretty easily on the internet.

I mean....adding flavorings to an already existing and preferred cheesecake recipe is kind of basic knowledge if you're a professional. It surprises me it didn't occur to you.
 

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Discussion Starter · #13 · (Edited)
In addition, add rum compound. I've flavored my cheesecakes with just nutmeg and rum and called them eggnog cheesecakes; it works fine and people buy them. The link I included to an eggnog cheesecake recipe was merely an example that information can be found pretty easily on the internet.

I mean....adding flavorings to an already existing and preferred cheesecake recipe is kind of basic knowledge if you're a professional. It surprises me it didn't occur to you.
Not every flavour work out from making a version of the real ingredient/product …. Sometime it work, sometime it just suck with a bad imitation… has nothing to do with being a pro lol … I had thought of just adding nutmeg, I just don't think it can be as good as the real thing … will do a sample to see
 

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I’m not sure of your recipe proportions but it’s likely that the custard will support a fair amount of eggnog or rum and still have great texture. If adding 2 cups of eggnog to a batch, for example, one more egg will balance out the filling.

Most likely, replacing the marscapone with eggnog and adding some nutmeg will get you started in a very positive way.
 

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I'm not sure of your recipe proportions but it's likely that the custard will support a fair amount of eggnog or rum and still have great texture. If adding 2 cups of eggnog to a batch, for example, one more egg will balance out the filling.

Most likely, replacing the marscapone with eggnog and adding some nutmeg will get you started in a very positive way.
But really, there is no point adding eggnog to a cheesecake - they are the same base ingredients (egg, sugar, dairy). Once you add the nutmeg to the cheesecake it tastes like eggnog. We do a 'Eggnog Creme Brulee' and the only difference is the added nutmeg - creme brulee is pretty much baked eggnog to begin with.
 

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stollen, always a favorite, but a little difficult and pricey to make. Anyone else make it?
It's so weird......in all my 30 years, I've never been able to get Stollen to sell very well. Even in neighborhoods with an older demographic. Maybe it's not really a West Coast thing. Many
people don't know what it is, so they don't buy it.
 

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It's so weird......in all my 30 years, I've never been able to get Stollen to sell very well. Even in neighborhoods with an older demographic. Maybe it's not really a West Coast thing. Many
people don't know what it is, so they don't buy it.
LOL... Cost Plus World Market has more stollen for sale than I've ever seen before. Different brands, etc, etc. Every year. But I never see anyone buying it. Could it be the same stollen every year? ;)
 

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LOL... Cost Plus World Market has more stollen for sale than I've ever seen before. Different brands, etc, etc. Every year. But I never see anyone buying it. Could it be the same stollen every year? ;)
......and here I was bitching about the short shelf life! Maybe they have a super long shelf life......or a half-life......
 

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its a labor of love. Those who like it get it every year, half my family are nordic in backround and we eat it every year, heavy cream and yeast based dough, with a ton of other stuff, I soak pecans and citron in bourbon, after the rise and the bake we plunge it into boiling butter before rolling in vanilla sugar. Old folks say it is fashioned after the swaddled baby jesus, others say the womb of the mother mary. The cardamom makes it a flavor not for everyone, much better than fruitcake and lasts for ever.
 
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