Us$10 For 8X8 Pan Cheesecake Brownies?

Business By Darra Updated 16 Jul 2006 , 5:02am by crimsonhair

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Darra Posted 14 Jul 2006 , 4:44am
post #1 of 12

i realize my first question was pretty vague icon_razz.gif so anyway... is this a fair price? i use a lot of bittersweet chocolate and a generous layer of cheesecake swirled on top.

how much do you sell brownies for? please indicate what kind, what size, and how much you charge.

thank you!

11 replies
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peg818 Posted 14 Jul 2006 , 1:16pm
post #2 of 12

you have to figure out what you ingredients are costing you then go from there. For high end brownies, i don't think $10 is enough to even cover your ingredients, so please do add up how much it costs you to make them (don't forget the box and board) so you don't short change yourself.

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karateka Posted 14 Jul 2006 , 1:21pm
post #3 of 12

Just off the top of my head it sounds like a darn good deal. I know how much chocolate costs, so you might be shortchanging yourself.

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karensjustdessert Posted 14 Jul 2006 , 1:30pm
post #4 of 12

Personally, I would add at least $5 to that. The ingredients alone would cost 8 or 9 dollars, and then you really should double it to cover your labor and packaging. I charge $18 for a 10X10 tray of brownies (sliced and frosted with chocolate) myself.

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Darra Posted 14 Jul 2006 , 2:29pm
post #5 of 12

thanks everyone icon_smile.gif

well... i wouldn't go so far as to call my brownies "gourmet high-end" but my secret recipe does require a lot of 70% bittersweet chocolate, so they are really dark and fudgy. i don't have a picture of my new cheesecake brownies yet, but here are photos of my other brownies, i think you can see just how chocolatey they are!

original fudge
Image

caramel-pecan
Image

they're darker and fudgier than most gourmet brownies on the net but they're WAAAAAAY cheaper... i've never sold them for more than US$10 for an 8x8 pan.

check out these sites and the prices of their brownies:
http://www.browniepointsinc.com/flavors.html
http://www.brownies.com/flavors.aspx
http://www.annasgourmetgoodies.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=BCB8

i think i must be doing something wrong with the computation because the way it is, it only costs me like US$3 max to make a pan!

here in germany, 1kg of all-purpose flour costs about US$0.40 and i only use like half a cup or something, the 70% chocolate i use costs about US$0.50/100g, eggs are just a little over US$1 for 10 (i use 2-3), and a kg of sugar costs US$1 but i only use like a few cups... i compute only as much as i use for a batch (like if i use 300g of flour that would be US$0.12, right?) add it up and multiply by three... sometimes i even round off to the nearest zero icon_razz.gif

but like i said, i suck at math so maybe i am doing something wrong icon_razz.gif or maybe these brownies really are just crazy cheap to make here in germany?

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4kids Posted 14 Jul 2006 , 2:34pm
post #6 of 12

I'm thinking they are crazy cheap in Germany! I would totally pay $10 right now for some of those brownies! They look great! You could always compromise and charge $12 for them. (Seeing as how people would probably pay more.)

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Darra Posted 14 Jul 2006 , 2:41pm
post #7 of 12

US$12 sounds fine to me icon_smile.gif i'm always getting asked WHY ARE YOUR BROWNIES SO CHEAP? and i don't know what to say... i start getting paranoid and think maybe these people think i use crap ingredients to keep costs down? i mean, i guess i could go totally high end and use lindt, callebaut, or valrhona, but the local stuff i have here works fine, too.

i guess after the extra 2 bucks people will finally stop asking me why they're so cheap. lol!

thanks!

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crimsonhair Posted 15 Jul 2006 , 6:07am
post #8 of 12

Your brownies look fantastic.. I'm wishing I had one right now.. Is your recipe for them posted in here? I'd love to have it ifyou share your recipes.I'm always looking to find a really good moist dark chocolate brownie. Yours look perfect..If it's not posted would you mind sending it to me. [email protected].
Liz

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MikeRowesHunny Posted 15 Jul 2006 , 6:17am
post #9 of 12

I'm in the Netherlands and I charge E15 for a 8x8in batch of brownies (cut into 9 or 16 pieces) - everything you listed is a lot more expensive to buy here!

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Darra Posted 15 Jul 2006 , 11:20am
post #10 of 12

bonjovibabe - 15! things must cost a lot more over there in holland!

do you think you could list down the price of flour, sugar, bittersweet chocolate, eggs, and butter, that you have in the netherlands? i'm kind of curious. over here it's:

butter - 0.75/250g
sugar- 0.89/kg
flour - 0.25/kg
bittersweet chocolate - 0.35/100g
eggs - 0.99/10 (cage free)
-------------------------------------

crimsonhair - i'll give you the basic recipe that i started with. the recipe i use for sale is a secret tapedshut.gif i really hope you understand!

4 ounces german sweet chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Melt chocolate and margarine over very low heat. Stir sugar into chocolate mixture; add eggs and vanilla stir until completely mixed. Mix in flour until well blended. Stir in nuts. Spread in a greased and floured 8-inch square pan.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cool in pan on a rack and cut into squares.

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MikeRowesHunny Posted 15 Jul 2006 , 11:27am
post #11 of 12

Sure!

Butter - E1,08 for 250g
Sugar - E0,69 for 500g
Flour - E0,69 for 1kg
Bittersweet chocolate - E1,29 for 200g
Eggs - E2,09 for 10

See what I mean?! Expensive living here in Holland!!! Don't ever move here if you want to have any hopes making money in the cake making/decorating game - you often have to charge more than most people are willing to pay just to make a profit!!!

Edited to say: an example, was asked for a quote for a fully fondant covered doll cake standing on fondant covered sheet cakes to serve 70 - ran it through the price matrix (adjusted to Dutch prices), and the basic ingredient cost was E75! I would have to have charged her a minimum of E140, and that would have been with a E25 discount! This isn't a hobby for me - it's abusiness, so I think I'm fully justified in charging the prices I do!

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crimsonhair Posted 16 Jul 2006 , 5:02am
post #12 of 12

Thanks Darra. I appreciate you sharing your recipe it is very similiar to one that I make now but yours just look so much moister in your pics.. .. And yes I understand.. icon_smile.gifthumbs_up.gif
Liz

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