Baking with Flores Bakehaus
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Flores Bakehaus is a pop-up bakery in Dallas, Texas established in October of 2018. They specialize in quick breads, granolas, jams and other delicious treats. Their products are made in small batches, from scratch and made to order. The owner and chef-baker of Flores Bakehaus, best known as Ernie, notes that baking is her passion and it shows in the products she makes.
What inspired you to come back to your baking passion and start this business?
What inspired me initially was a need to help supplement our household income. In December of 2016 my husband suffered a medical emergency and could not work. In 2017, I began to bake again to help our household. While doing this, it brought back memories of why I loved baking. In 2018, I began my pop-up bakery business and started to sell my baked goods at coffee shops and vendor markets.
Can you expand on your pastry apprenticeship and what you learned from it?
I went to El Centro Community College; I think now it’s called Dallas College. I was in their pastry apprenticeship program. Apprenticeship is a combination of on-the-job training and related classroom instruction. The apprenticeship program provides chefs, trainers and instructors with industry-relevant knowledge and skill competencies across all kitchen stations and ensures apprentices have the education, skills, and job experience to have better job opportunities with higher wages. Upon successful completion of the program, apprentices are eligible to earn ACF certification. Unfortunately, the program no longer exists.
What educational sources influence your recipes most?
I would say what influences my baking the most are the flavors that I grew up with. For example, the flavors from freshly baked pan dulce or the mole from a family celebration. I also draw ideas from social media platforms.
How does a commercial kitchen operate without a storefront?
A commercial kitchen that operates without a storefront is referred to as a ghost kitchen. These types of kitchens are designed only for food production and delivery, without the traditional dine-in or storefront component. Usually, one rents them out by the hour or on a monthly basis.
How often do you get the commercial kitchen?
I go anywhere from 3-5 times a week.
What did you learn about your customer base and have you had any items that were major successes or didn’t receive the reception you expected?
I have learned that my customers aren’t afraid to try new and unique flavor combinations. Our pan de nopal (cactus bread) and our chocolate mole cookies have been well received.
Do you have any upcoming projects/goals that you’re excited for?
These next few months are the busiest we see for the year. We love to see how our customers share our baked goods with their friends and family. It’s a nice feeling to know that we are a part of many celebrations. One project we have been working on and will continue for this year, is growing our wholesale accounts. We would love to see Flores Bakehaus at more coffee shops and grocery stores, this will allow more people to have access to our baked goods.
You can find our baked goods throughout the week at the following locations:
· Everyday Works Coffee & Market in Oak Cliff
· Juju’s Coffee in East Dallas
· Coffee del Rey in Plano
· Watermark Coffee in North Dallas
· Yaris Blends Coffee Mobile Cart (check Instagram, since her location may change)