Help a hopeless baker make my own kiddush!

amother

OP ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 7:13 pm

This should be in the recipe section, but I've poured out my tale to too many people, so I need to be anonymous.

I'm making a Bar Mitzva in two weeks. I ended up having to spend way more than I expected on the bo bayom, and I really really really can't afford this.

SO....For the shabbos, I plan on doing everything myself. The cooking shouldn't be so major, cuz we're not that many people for meals, and I'm a pretty good cook.

I'm not good at baking, and I need to make a kiddush for about 150 people. HELP!!!!

Please give me recipes for easy miniatures that look great but can be made by the baking challenged like me. I've gotta do about 500 pieces in the next two weeks. Oh, did I mention that 5 of my kids aren't in day camp?!!?!

Please please please help!!!

If I can find the recipe online with a picture of what it should look like, that would be even better!

tichellady

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 7:18 pm

This is not realistic. Come up with something else to serve. Your time and sanity matter. Kugel and cholent? Cookies and rice Krispy treats?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 7:21 pm

tichellady wrote:

This is not realistic. Come up with something else to serve. Your time and sanity matter. Kugel and cholent? Cookies and rice Krispy treats?

I'm serving kugel, but I need mezonos. I know it's unrealistic. I'm doing it anyway.

unknown2

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 7:22 pm

Miniatures shouldn’t be your main focus

You can serve some delicious
Chulent
All type of kugel (potato,lokshen,kishka, etc)
Liver
Herring
Cold cut platters
So many more and then you can do some trays of dry cake and a few miniatures, cut up fruits , mousse cups

out-of-towner

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 7:22 pm

I don't know about miniatures, but start browsing Overtime Cook for easy dessert ideas. For example, her lemon cheesecake mousse cups are delicious, easy and pretty.

mha3484 ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 7:23 pm

I would do bars and cookies. Your shul allows you to self cater?

I also made a kiddish at the last minute for that many. The shul doesnt have a regular kiddush, only for a simcha. It was kind of overwhelming and I ended up just buying most of it and friends baked for me too. But most shuls dont allow that. Maybe we live in the same place.

Last edited by mha3484 on Sun, Jul 07 2024, 7:26 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Azalea ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 7:23 pm

Crinkle cookies (I can post my recipe tomorrow)

Toffee bars
https://www.kosher.com/recipe/.....-4161
You can break these into jagged pieces. Not all the same sizes. And serve them in a wide cylinder glass container.

Mini Chocolate cupcakes
I'd use the Hershey birthday cake recipe. Use cupcake holders to help match whatever color scheme (if you're having) and icing glaze with whatever color sparkle sugar

Sugar cookies
By cookbook never fail sugar cookies are good

Rugelach

These are all things that can freeze nicely and you can make them with your kids.

amother

Ultramarine

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 7:25 pm

I would not concentrate on miniatures - too time consuming!

Bake everything in cookie sheets and cut in small squares.
Then make rows of the squares on platters to serve.

Brownies
Brownies with choc chip
Brownies with choc frosting
Choc chip squares drizzled with dark choc
Choc chip squares drizzled with white choc
Rice Krispie treats
Marble cake
White type of cake

↑ mha3484 ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 7:40 pm

I just checked my receipts, I spent around 180 on kugel and around $200 from the bakery and another $150-200 on everything else. It was a simple kiddush but my son felt amazing and was totally worth it.

Also do you need to set it up yourself?

amother

Lemonchiffon ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 8:22 pm

amother Ultramarine wrote:

I’m an experienced baker and I would absolutely not recommend making miniatures.
Cookie sheet bars are the way to go.
You can also make easy cookies, like chocolate chip or oatmeal.
Lemon bars/citrus nut bars
Jam bars
Blondies
Banana cake with parve cream cheese frosting - crowd pleaser, can be done in a sheet pan and one of the easiest.
Make a couple of Bundt cakes for variety.

ttbtbm

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 9:04 pm

You can make Duncan Heinz chocolate cakes and vanilla cakes. Buy mini disposable cups and layer cut up chocolate cake, mouse, and parve whip whipped up with a vanilla pudding mix. Top with a drop of store bought brittle. Layer cut up vanilla cake with store bought lemon merengue, some of the whip and brittle. Put mini spoons in each and voila!!
Mazal tov!!

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 9:59 pm

ttbtbm wrote:

This sounds amazing, but I'm having trouble picturing it.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 10:00 pm

happyone wrote:

Can I please send something? Please PM with an address. Mazel tov!

You're so sweet. I'm out of town

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 10:01 pm

amother Winterberry wrote:

I would do different bundt cakes with pretty toppings, icings etc.
They are easy and classy

Like what kind of topping? (told you I'm hopeless)

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 10:03 pm

amother Lemonchiffon wrote:

Do I ut each one in a muffin tin? How else can I make them look elegant?

↑ mha3484 ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 10:05 pm

OP I am OOT if theres any chance you daven at a community kollel in chicago your welcome to PM me and I can try and help you.

amother

Obsidian

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 10:09 pm

Duncan heinz brownies are good, but seriously, just keep it simple and order a bunch of sterns platters, and tell ppl that you spent a lot on the bo bayom so you kept the kiddush simpler.

Mazel tov!