Stella's Social Club

[debs_flock]

what no homemade ice cream?

Ummm, it was a "baked goods" competition, LOL.......................well, there are candy classes too!

Where is the ice cream ?

In the freezer and my tummy!

 

[The Sheriff]

You'll have to share your freezing techniques for baked goods Deb. Mine always taste lousy when I freeze them. That big pie is calling my name!

 

[wekiva bird]

Ummm, it was a "baked goods" competition, LOL.......................well, there are candy classes too!


In the freezer and my tummy!

Is it homemade?

 

[debs_flock]

Quote: The ice cream? Naw, homemade ice cream never makes it past the day it's made.

 

[debs_flock]

Okay, the first candling report.

Last night I candled the first two macaw eggs I put in the incubator. They were at day five. The second egg I was given still appears clear

, but the first egg is nicely veined!!!

That is still a long way away from being hatched, but I can't tell you how excited I was. The third egg was only at day two, so I'll candle it in a few days. I might actually have to take the time to chart weight on these eggs

 

[debs_flock]

Mary, after much experimenting I have my freezing technique down. I usually enter 50+ items in baked good. Obviously it can't all be made on the day of submission and since I still do well in the classes, it's not being affected.

Some things of course just don't freeze well, those are the items I make at the last minute.

Two to three months before I have all my cookie doughs made. Scoop them onto a cookie sheet with a cookie scoop and freeze them overnight. Then throw the frozen balls into labeled (type, temp, time) Ziploc bags. I only need to bake 8 cookies of each type for fair, then I have about ten different types of dough frozen for making a few at a time all year. I only like fresh hot cookies, I can bake them one at a time if I want.

Two months before fair, bake all the quick breads & cakes. When they are almost cool, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, wrap again in foil, then put the whole thing into a labeled Ziploc bag.

Two weeks before fair, bake all the yeast breads, wrap the same as above.

One week before fair, make all the candies. Fudge etc, keep wrapped tightly in fridge, hard candy, caramel etc, can be wrapped and left on the counter.

The day before submission I bake all my cold pies and put them in the fridge. I also make the brownies and bar cookies.

The morning of submission (day before judging) take all the baked goods out and unwrap down to the plastic wrap and let defrost on the counter/table. When defrosted add any icing/frosting then plate. I take a big piece of waxed paper and draw a grid with the cookie types and baking instructions for each. Put eight balls of dough for each type. As soon as they are defrosted through, I start baking with one temp (350) and work my way up (375). I then pick the best six of each to plate.

Also on that last day I fix all the things that don't keep. I make all the fruit pies, biscuits, coffeecake. It's a long day of baking, but everything comes out tasting fresh.

On judging day, even judges are surprised to hear that most of my entries have been frozen, so it works out well for me.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Okay, the first candling report.

Last night I candled the first two macaw eggs I put in the incubator. They were at day five. The second egg I was given still appears clear

, but the first egg is nicely veined!!!

That is still a long way away from being hatched, but I can't tell you how excited I was. The third egg was only at day two, so I'll candle it in a few days. I might actually have to take the time to chart weight on these eggs

Congrats!!!!!

On the baked goods, they don't get soggy defrosting in the plastic wrap?

 

[mlm Mike]

Mary, after much experimenting I have my freezing technique down. I usually enter 50+ items in baked good. Obviously it can't all be made on the day of submission and since I still do well in the classes, it's not being affected.

Some things of course just don't freeze well, those are the items I make at the last minute.

Two to three months before I have all my cookie doughs made. Scoop them onto a cookie sheet with a cookie scoop and freeze them overnight. Then throw the frozen balls into labeled (type, temp, time) Ziploc bags. I only need to bake 8 cookies of each type for fair, then I have about ten different types of dough frozen for making a few at a time all year. I only like fresh hot cookies, I can bake them one at a time if I want.

Two months before fair, bake all the quick breads & cakes. When they are almost cool, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, wrap again in foil, then put the whole thing into a labeled Ziploc bag.

Two weeks before fair, bake all the yeast breads, wrap the same as above.

One week before fair, make all the candies. Fudge etc, keep wrapped tightly in fridge, hard candy, caramel etc, can be wrapped and left on the counter.

The day before submission I bake all my cold pies and put them in the fridge. I also make the brownies and bar cookies.

The morning of submission (day before judging) take all the baked goods out and unwrap down to the plastic wrap and let defrost on the counter/table. When defrosted add any icing/frosting then plate. I take a big piece of waxed paper and draw a grid with the cookie types and baking instructions for each. Put eight balls of dough for each type. As soon as they are defrosted through, I start baking with one temp (350) and work my way up (375). I then pick the best six of each to plate.

Also on that last day I fix all the things that don't keep. I make all the fruit pies, biscuits, coffeecake. It's a long day of baking, but everything comes out tasting fresh.

On judging day, even judges are surprised to hear that most of my entries have been frozen, so it works out well for me.

I'm exhausted just reading this, and a bit hungry.

For Macaw eggs.

 

[debs_flock]

Quote: No, but you do need to keep an eye on it. If it appears too moist, I'll unwrap the plastic wrap so it can dry a bit. For judging though, dry is far more damaging than a bit of moisture. The entry still has to sit until the next day before it gets judged.

 

[The Sheriff]

Holy moly Deb. I don't know how you do it. I plan for a week before making a batch of chocolate chip cookies. You're amazing.