A Homegrown, Hand-Made Success Story, Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop

White Chocolate Guava Cookies Recipe

In this episode of Chef AF, I talk with Derek Kaplan from Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop. Kaplan, a former football player and City of Miami fireman, shares how his love for baking came about, getting started with a key lime pie recipe, and how Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop came to fruition. 

Kaplan talks about being exposed to an extensive array of foods at an early age and its impact on how he saw food. When asked about selling pies in the beginning, Kaplan said, “I used to think I was going to change the world, selling pies in a cup.” He adds, “I had this idea I was going to revolutionize the way people ate pies.”

I asked Kaplan about a little space in Wynwood between the dance club Electric Pickle and a barbershop, he said it was his first Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop. He also shares how he had a food truck and utilized a commissary kitchen to get his business started. We talk about how Kaplan built his name, brand, and customer base before opening this location. He goes on to say “I always looked at the store as access points.” 

Kaplan offers up the recipe for White Chocolate Guava Cookies and how he invented this deliciously decadent cookie that you can find at his Bake Shop.

Tune into the podcast to learn more about Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop’s plan for the future, Kaplan’s advice for aspiring food entrepreneurs, and the importance of caring about your brand on Chef AF “It’s All Food” or you can listen at Spotify!

RECIPE

WHITE CHOCOLATE GUAVA COOKIES
Yield: 24 cookies

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Flour

• ½ lb. Butter

• 1 ¼ cup Sugar

• ¼ cup Brown Sugar

• 2 Large Eggs

• 1 cup White Chocolate Chips

• 1 ½ cup Guava Paste (cubed)

• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

• 1 tsp Baking Soda

• 1/8 tsp Salt

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

• Using an electric mixer, cream room temperature butter with sugar until nice and fluffy and beige in color, then add eggs and vanilla and cream until fluffy again. This process usually takes about 2 minutes each time on medium-high speed. Starting with medium and then gradually raising the speed as it begins to combine. 

• Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix dry ingredients on low speed until you don’t see any bits of unmixed flour. 

• Fold in white chocolate chips and guava paste cubes making sure not to overmix.

• Once dough is mixed, portion into 2 oz. balls.

• Freeze portioned dough for about an hour. Dough can be kept overnight in refrigerator too, depending on how quickly you need to bake it. 

• Bake cookies for 16-17 mins or until golden brown.