Baking for the Holidays: Secrets from Engineer Turned Baker

Oak Mill Bakery has become a destination for Morton Grove and Niles-area residents with a sweet tooth, so who could resist holiday baking tips from its owner at the Morton Grove library's   program?

Solak encouraged attendees to do some holiday baking of their own to create memories for their families. She said, "Nothing you buy at a bakery will taste as good as what you make at home. Your family will applaud your efforts and your house will smell so nice."

Bogna's Baking Secrets

"The secret to being a great baker is to use the finest and freshest ingredients you can find," she said.

Solak recommends using baking chocolate that contains at least 42 percent cacao. She prefers using preserves or jams rather than fruit fillings, which are mostly food coloring and corn starch.

To enhance a sugar cookies recipe, Solak suggested adding a few drops of lemon, almond or key lime flavoring to the batter. "You can find imported flavorings for a good price at Home Goods and T.J. Maxx," she said.

To decorate sugar cookies, Solak advised participants to make their own frosting.  If you don't have a pastry bag, Solak suggested filling a zip-seal bag with frosting and cutting a hole in one corner of the bag.

She also recommended making gingerbread dough in October and storing it in a cool place such as your garage for several months. You can also refrigerate the dough. It will then be ready to bake in December. "Europeans know gingerbread must be allowed to age," she said. "Gingerbread that hasn't been aged will crack."

Throughout her talk, Solak's assistants handed out sugar, Spitzbuben and gingerbread cookies as well as samples of ginger cake baked in a loaf pan and topped with chocolate.  

Everything looked, smelled and tasted delicious.

Engineer Turned Baker

Solak came to the United States from Poland for a visit in 1981. Shortly thereafter martial law was declared in Poland and Solak decided to make the U.S. her home.

In Poland, Solak had studied to become an engineer.  Cooking and baking had been her hobbies.  In 1986, Solak and her husband bought their first bakery in Niles, which has since expanded into six Oak Mill Bakeries.

An audience member asked Solak how Oak Mill Bakery has thrived when so many of their competitors have gone out of business. 

Solak said, "When the price of ingredients went up, other bakeries cut corners by using ingredients that were not as good. We have never skimped on the quality of our ingredients. We've been able to reduce costs by buying in bulk, changing distributers and importing some of our ingredients."

The Oak Mill Bakery location closest to Morton Grove is located at 8012 North Milwaukee Ave., Niles, 847-318-6400.