COURTESY OF DOUGH RE MEA
Dough Re Mea, a new small batch sweets brand, is offering its signature dippers around town.
In 2020, during the height of the pandemic lockdown, Maleah Ingoldsby entered a neighborhood baking contest, not sure what to expect, or even what she would bake. To her surprise, she won, spurring her to consider whether or not she might make a go of her baking passion.
"I make cookies, but I didn't think that was enough to win, so I made a three-layer cookie cake," Ingoldsby says. "I thought there was no way I was going to win, but I ended up winning based on a blind tasting — they didn't even see the cake. In the grand scheme of life, it was only one hundred dollars, but for me, it was really cool to see that people actually did like it."
Two years later, Ingoldsy has leveraged the success of that fateful bakeoff win into Dough Re Mea, a growing small batch sweet treats brand specializing in cookies, cupcakes and buttercream. In particular, she's built a following for her "Dippers," a delightful pairing of chocolate chip cookies and buttercream icing, served alongside one another in a parfait cup. The idea is akin to milk and cookies, though instead of dunking a baked good in a cold glass of milk, folks are encouraged to smother their sweet treat in luscious buttercream.
For Ingoldsby, Dough Re Mea ("Mea" is the nickname given to her by her nieces and nephews) is the natural progression of her longtime passion for baking. A fan of cooking shows on television and follower of bakers online, she would find herself in awe of anyone who could cook and bake and wondered if she could ever rise to their level. Though she was an accomplished home baker — always the one to bring the cookies, monkey bread or other pastry delights to family gatherings — she had a lack of confidence in her abilities and was genuinely shocked when people began asking her for her baked goods after she won the bakeoff.
"When this started, I didn't think anyone would want to buy anything," Ingoldsby says. "When they did, I was genuinely shocked, and I am still surprised by everything that happens."
However, her consistently warm receptions are beginning to instill in her the confidence she needs to take Dough Re Mea to the next level, including partnerships with local restaurants. Her Dippers are currently available at Latte Lounge in Florissant, as well as Rock Star Taco Shack on the Hill; the latter recently commissioned a peanut butter buttercream version that is being offered in addition to her traditional vanilla flavor.
Though Ingoldsby is thrilled by her success, she is still feeling out what her next move will be. Currently, she works a full time day job in accounts payable for a medical group, and she admits that the thought of leaving behind that sort of stability is scary. While she currently has no plans to do so, she's excited to see where things go and will keep up with demand to the best of her abilities as business grows.
"I am fairly new to this, so I am just taking it as it comes," Ingoldsby says. "Anytime a door comes, I just open it."
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