Learning, Growing, Making Cakes at Frozen Yogurt Innovations

Lewis and Susan Cohn didn't really know what they were getting into when they opened Frozen Yogurt Innovations in Cochituate five months ago.

It was their first business and something a bit novel for Wayland, where frozen treat options were basically nonexistent.

But, "So far, so good," said Susan Cohn, standing the middle of her shop before opening on a Tuesday morning. She follows up that assessment with a quick sigh of relief that Kristen Brown, newly hired manager for FYI, literally knocked on the door last month.

Brown came to FYI with an array of experience, including plenty of food service know-how, some management expertise and, perhaps most interestingly, a background in the frozen yogurt industry complete with cake decorating skills.

"I was driving by and I saw the sign [for FYI]," said Brown, who lives in Natick. She said she'd been working a desk job, but felt unfulfilled by the work. "I'm a creative person," she said, "so I need to have some kind of creative outlet."

Enter froyo pies and cakes, which Brown began creating and selling just a couple of weeks ago.

The speciality desserts can be customized in nearly infinite ways, Brown said. For the cakes, she freezes a layer of FYI yogurt in a springform pan, adds a layer of topping -- anything from crumbled cookies to candy to fruit -- then adds a second layer of frozen yogurt. The whole creation gets a layer of whipped frosting that can feature everything from birthday messages to holiday-inspired themes.

For the pies, a pie shell of either graham cracker or cookie crumb receives a filling of frozen yogurt.

Brown keeps some standard recipes in the to-go freezer, but will also create custom flavors with 48 hours advance notice.

"We can be creative with it," Brown said, adding that her favorite cake is made with layers of peanut butter and chocolate yogurt with peanut butter cups as the filler.

She said she is looking forward to the holiday yogurt flavors she expects to arrive in the store soon, such as pumpkin, peppermint stick and eggnog.

"There's a lot of different options," Brown said. "They're good for any occasion really."

But specialty desserts aren't the only thing the Cohns have taken on in FYI during the past five months. Their shop now also features bulk-bin cookies, new toppings and the "Spinnovator" -- a dessert featuring the customer's choice of yogurt and toppings blended together.

"The kids are still flocking after school," Cohn said. "They come in and seem to really love it. It's been really great."

Beginning this month, FYI plans to debut specific promotions during Family Fun Nights on Wednesdays. Of particular note, on Halloween -- Wednesday, Oct. 31 -- FYI is holding a Family Fright Fun Event. Customers who visit the shop in full costume between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. will receive a 10 percent discount on their yogurt.

"We want people to have fun," Cohn said. "This is what the town needed."