It's been a pretty tasty year round here (as far as baking goes!), so I thought that I'd recap some of the best bits of the past year in one post (yes, another of those 'here's what I made last year, wasn't it great!' posts!!!). These are my favourites of 2011, roughly one a month, but with a couple of bonus ones I just couldn't leave out.
January
This was such a tasty bread - perfect to eat with soup, it was filling and I loved the roasted new potatoes in the bread, great with the olives.
February
For a recipe that I stumbled across accidentally, these were extremely tasty. I do love a good old fashioned biscuit, and these are gently spicy and nice and crunchy.
March
This one has made it into the regular rotation - if I ever have spare soured cream in the fridge, this is one of the most delicious ways to use it up that I have found. I do think that it needs to be baked as a loaf in a tin though, it just doesn't seem to work with more crust.
April
What would Easter be without a celebratory chocolate cake, and this cake was certainly good for celebrating! Moist and fudgy and rich with a delicious chocolate icing and yummy chocolate mini eggs. There is one thing about it being the new year now - surely the mini eggs can't be far from the shops now! (I usually hate most of the commercial eggs and rubbish that is marketed, but mini eggs are the exception!)
May
If only world peace were so easy to come by. 2011 sadly hasn't been the most peaceful year, but thanks go to Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial for introducing me to these cookies and countless other delights through the year.
June
Another bread that has been added to the regular rotation. In fact I enjoyed this bread so much that I didn't really eat much else in the way of bread for a couple of months - slack times for trying new breads, but that's what happens when you stumble across a gem! After making it in a round tin a few times I eventually decided it was better in a square tin - easier to cut into even pieces. Goes perfectly with cheese, and is great for breakfast too. An all round winner, and very adaptable to the variety of flours I have used in it over the months.
July
I had a lovely holiday and although I did some baking it wasn't as prolific as other months. These spelt and corn batch rolls are worth a revisit now the weather is colder and I am wanting a slightly heavier bread. They were delicious and I remember thinking how good they'd be with a soup or stew.
August
I never thought I would find a scone recipe to replace my old trusty standby, known by heart and well practiced. This is that replacement recipe. I have made this so many times now, with lots of variations and I'm in love with all of them. My love of scones may have gone unnoticed, but it is a true love and I am so happy to have found this recipe. Citrus, cherry vanilla, double chocolate, chocolate chip, vanilla raisin, however they come this recipe is always moist, light and utterly delicious. These are mine, all mine!
September
A really inspired idea led me to substitute the tahini called for in Dan Lepard's halva flapjacks with peanut butter. Adding chocolate and cranberries created a real winner!
October
A simple recipe, but this reminded me how good a basic cake can be. The raspberry flavour came through well, the chunks of chocolate in the chocolate cake were delicious and I really enjoyed eating this one.
November
These were so delicious. I haven't remade them yet, but they are certainly going to be made very soon. Just looking at them makes me sad that they're all gone. A stunning recipe from Dan Lepard.
Another excellent recipe from November
These were utterly stunning. So light and fluffy and moist. I'm definitely going to make them again and explore vegan baking further in the future!
December
Such a simple cake, but so delicious. And still a couple of pieces left in the freezer. This makes me happy.
And my final recipe, also from December:
These were a surprise hit - so moist and delicious, Christmassy but also suitable for other times of the year too - I love flapjack (with two in the round up of the year you've probably guessed this!) and this was a great twist on the humble oaty slice.
A good year for new bread recipes, very much inspired by Dan Lepard and a few good cakes, flapjacks and cookies in there too!
Many thanks to all my blogging friends, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your blogs this year, getting inspiration and help from you, and more recently chatting too. I look forward to doing all of these things more and more next year. Happy New Year to all my lovely readers for 2012, I hope that you all have a peaceful and prosperous new year and that it is filled with good things.
6 comments:
You have certainly had a very busy year. Here's wishing you all the very best for the new year to come ;0)
Happy New Year to you and yours too. May 2012 bring you much health and happiness xx
What a nice way to relive the year - here's to an equally splendid 2012
happy new year C - I am now hungry after reading all your wonderful recipes of the year - there are a few that I really want to back - especially all those bread
What a wonderful round-up!! Happy New Year C! Looking forward to all your recipes in 2012!
very nice
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