For those of you who have been following me on my crazy baking adventure these past few weeks, thank you! I hope you found something to enjoy, something to grace your holiday table, something to scarf in the middle of the night in your pajamas while sitting on the kitchen counter.
With all of these stinkin end-of-the-year/end-of-the-decade countdown lists permeating the web this time of year, I thought I’d join in the fun.
Here is a recap of all 12 recipes, in ranking order of deliciousness (voted on by husband, myself, and various friends and family–you may have a different take).
Recipes, please don’t get me wrong. I love you all and you are each special in your own unique way. Some of you I just inhaled faster than others.
Drumroll, please…
1. Blue Cheese and Irish Cheddar Gougeres
Funny that the recipe that tops this list is a savory one. These little morsels were too good to resist. Husband and I literally ate the whole tray straight out of the oven. Plus, they were one of the easiest recipes to make.
This recipe once again reminded me why I’m smitten with Smitten Kitchen. They were soft and chewy on the inside, the tiniest bit crisp on the outside, and full of delicate apple cider flavor. Also, they were much easier to make that I thought doughnuts would be.
Lumpiness aside (my own dang fault), these things were killer. Crunchy crust, creamy eggnoggy filling–to die for.
Jamie Oliver’s recipe didn’t dissapoint. This is the pinnacle of comfort food. Serve with a little vanilla ice cream and you’ll be in banana bliss.
Hands down the easiest of all the recipes to make. Sounds weird, I know, but give it a shot. The sweet/savory combo might surprise you.
6. Paula Deen’s Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes
Miss Deen never fails me. This is the creamiest, most buttery alternative to pumpkin pie there is.
Yes, it was a lot of dang work. Breads always are. But this one was particularly worth it: it’s like a gooey chocolate cinnamon roll inside.
Another time consuming recipe, but a good one. Sweet, gorgeous bread that goes with everything.
A lot of work for not very many cookies (leave it to Martha to make things complicated), but seriously delicious.
Sugar and spice and everything nice. Plus a merry Christmas buzz.
11. Baked Apples with Cinnamon Whipped Cream
Nutty, cinnamonny, appley–gone.
12. Loukoumades with Honey Orange Sauce
Labor intensive, and not the flavor I was expecting. Would be excellent with a few tweaks.
And there you have it, ladies and gentleman. My dishwasher, my oven, and my credit card are grateful it’s over and done with.
Me? I’m still going through a little sugar withdrawal. I may have eaten half a bag of Dove chocolates yesterday to make up for the lack of sweets hanging out in the fridge.
Until next year, this is the 12 Days of Bakemas, signing off. Back to normal blogging content, including some yummy savory recipes in the upcoming week.
-RDG
