Carly Feins of Bedford is the owner of Carly’s Custom Cakes (carlyscustomcakes.com, find her on Facebook or Instagram), a homestead business offering custom desserts to order, including cakes, cookies, brownies, fruit bars and cupcakes. A baking and pastry arts/food service management graduate from Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, Feins has been baking since she was 11 years old. She fell in love with the craft after watching her aunt, Lisa Raffael (owner of Delicious Desserts in East Falmouth, Mass.), win on an episode of the Food Network Challenge. Feins, who has autism spectrum disorder, said she wanted to be a role model and an inspiration to others with similar diagnoses by starting her own independent business. In addition to accepting custom orders through her website for pickup or delivery within a 25-mile radius of southern New Hampshire, Feins participates in the Salem Farmers Market every Sunday, from 10 a.m. to noon, at Salem Marketplace (224 N. Broadway). As of last week, her fruit bars and cookies are also available for purchase at the Bearded Baking Co. (819 Union St., Manchester).
What is your must-have kitchen item?
I actually have two of them. My KitchenAid stand mixer and also my kitchen scale.
What would you have for your last meal?
I would get a Caesar salad at the Manchester Country Club without any Parmesan cheese. At home, I would have a homemade brownie ice cream sundae.
What is your favorite local restaurant?
I like Taipei & Tokyo in Bedford … and I also like to support Pizza Bella [in Bedford]. They provided pizza to Bedford High School when I went to school there, and I think they still do.
What celebrity would you like to see trying something that you’ve baked?
It’s a three-way tie between Food Network’s Duff Goldman, Sugar Monster Sweets [owner] Ashley Holt, and Jason Smith, also from Food Network.
What is your personal favorite thing to bake?
I can’t really decide, but basically any of the sugar cookies, cupcakes and whole cakes, because I like to put my own artistic spin on them. I’m an artist and desserts are my canvas.
What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?
I’ve been seeing a huge interest in no-contact deliveries and … smaller food operations relying on takeout and online ordering. I’ve also been seeing a lot more of a demand for meatless items.
What is your favorite thing to cook or bake at home?
I love cooking for my family. My favorite thing to do is chicken marsala with boiled rice. I also love to make chocolate cake with chocolate ganache.
1-2-3 sugar cookie dough
Courtesy of Carly Feins of Carly’s Custom Cakes in Bedford (who learned this recipe as a student at Johnson & Wales University)
2 pounds (or 4 cups) butter
1 pound (or 2 cups) granulated sugar
3 pounds (or just under 13 cups) pastry flour
170 grams whole eggs (or roughly three extra large eggs)
In a bowl, mix together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs in one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as you go with a stand mixer. When all the eggs are in, add the flour. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight or for a minimum of three hours. When ready to bake, turn the oven on to 350 degrees. Knead dough on a flour-coated silicone mat and roll to about a quarter inch thick. Make sure the dough is still cold, as the temperature affects the cookie. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. You can augment with different flavors like lemon zest, or do chocolate by using cocoa powder.