Baking: Recipe for success

With research showing home baking is still hugely popular, here’s how foodservice operators can take their slice of the action

Pretty much everyone has been taking comfort in the joy of home baking over the past 12 months. And it seems this new-found hobby is one that’ll stick for months to come as home baking sales continue to soar. There’s two ways you can make this work for your business: preparing kits for customers to bake at home, and offering a range of home-baked treats for your customers to take home and enjoy with a cuppa.

ALL KITTED OUT

Home baking has never been so popular, so cater to this demand by providing a range of home-baking kits to suit every demand and ability.

Individual baking kits with pre-measured ingredients and a step-by-step recipe are ideal for those wanting everything to hand before they get baking. Offer a selection so customers have a choice of popular bakes, such as a classic Victoria sponge, cookies, cupcakes, shortbread and flapjacks. For a quirky option, layer the ingredients up in a jar with the recipe printed on a tag round the neck. Don’t limit the appeal of kits to just sweet bakes, could you offer savoury too?

Boxes containing pre-prepared treats ready to go straight in the oven at home are a popular no-fuss, maximum taste option. Go for bake-at-home cinnamon buns, scones, chocolate pastry twists and bagels.

Take convenience to another level by bringing the freezer into the mix. Make it super simple by preparing and freezing doughs for customers to cook at home. Croissant, cookie and bread doughs – sourdough was the star of 2020 – work well.

READY TO GO

Offer home-baked treats to take away with a hot drink. Comfort still rules, so think sugary, crispy doughnuts oozing with jam and indulgent cookies fresh from the oven. The classics and retro favourites that bring comfort are still very much on the rise.

For real standout appeal, add your own twist to classic favourites, such as lemon meringue or sticky toffee cupcakes, berry crumble shortbread slices, Battenberg bites, jammy biscuits or date and ginger malt loaf.

ON-TREND

Keep an eye on social media to see what’s trending and serve up your version, but elevate it where you can. Portuguese custard tarts and cinnamon buns are trending right now as are old-fashioned retro desserts such as ‘school dinner sponge’, vanilla sponge topped with white icing and sprinkles. Budget-friendly and beautifully simple, it’s the new sweet treat trend that’s taking social media by storm.