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Bread getting hard, dry and tough on box.

Silvapgerman's picture
Silvapgerman

Bread getting hard, dry and tough on box.

Hey there! Hope everyone is doing great. I'm having a situation with my business of cinnamon rolls. The thing is that I always sold them in those aluminum pans/trays covered with plastic film. Now, for better presentation I sell them in boxes (the typical box with a window). When I sold them in aluminum, softness remained for days, even a week. In the boxes, cinnamon rolls are getting really tough on the outside (the exterior part that touches the box on the inside). In the second day, it's incredible hard, like a rock. 

I have done several tests. Recipe isn't the problem, as in aluminum they don't get hard. I did another test with the same batch and I saved half on a zip lock (open) and half in the box. The next day, the ones in the zip lock were soft even when I left it open. The ones in the box started to get dry on the exterior. I then thought that maybe I was throwing them in the box when they still were hot, but I also made the test to left them to cool completely, and also putting parchment or wax below the rolls. Made barely a difference.  

 

I'm worried as I ordered 2,000 custom boxes last month (before noticing that this started to happen). I don't know what I can do. I thought to use that plastic or polyethylene on the outside of the box, but it's time consuming too. Most of the boxes I sell go to stores that have them for 1-3 days.

 

I hope you can advice me.

 

Cheers

Ilya Flyamer's picture
Ilya Flyamer

Cardboard boxes? Or like, something paper-based? I guess they absorb humidity and dry out the dough...

Silvapgerman's picture
Silvapgerman

That's a good point. I also wrapped a box with plastic film and let them sit overnight. They were as soft as they were in the aluminum pan.

 

Thanks for the comment!

GaryBishop's picture
GaryBishop

I bet the other commenter is correct that the boxes are absorbing moisture. Paper products can be super dry when you first get them. Back in the day we had to leave computer paper in local storage for a week or more before using it so that it could absorb some moisture to avoid static electricity. A hygrometer would tell you for sure. 

I'm hopeful that letting the boxes sit out in the open for a while will let them absorb moisture from the air and equalize so they don't ruin your rolls. You might be able to accelerate the process by putting them in a humid environment.

 

Silvapgerman's picture
Silvapgerman

Yeah, that seems like a great point. As I told to Ilya, I made another test where I wrapped the box with plastic film and they remained as soft as when I make them on an aluminum pan. I will open the boxes and leave them overnight sitting open. 

 

Thanks for commenting!

Silvapgerman's picture
Silvapgerman

Does anyone know what big chains like Krispy Kreme or Cinnabon use in their products so the cardboard boxes don't suck the moisture of them?

wumingxuan's picture
wumingxuan

Might there be a waxy layer on the inside - both to stop the cardboard getting soggy if (for example) jam fillings leak, and to reduce moisture absorption and dryness? 

Silvapgerman's picture
Silvapgerman

Thank you for commenting, seems reasonable. Maybe they did custom boxes with a special material in the interior.

phaz's picture
phaz

No idea what they do, but I'm sure a fair amount of oils are used, for both softness and delaying "stale" shall we say. Might be with looking into. Enjoy!

Silvapgerman's picture
Silvapgerman

Thanks! I will definitely make a research on what oils to add.

 

Cheers