Hello my lovelies! Happy New Year. As we stare into the void of a new year it’s a good time to look back at the year that was. There were dark moments. But there was a lot of good too. NZ voted ‘kindness’ it’s word of the year. More people than ever before reached out to help in their communities. And a whole lot of people have been making delicious things in their own homes. Today we’re looking at your favourite recipes from 2018. These are recipes from the past year rather than all time because nothing will ever knock Lemon Weetbix Squares off that spot… You lot are keen on bread and chocolate to be sure. Make sure you’re subscribed to the newsletter to hear all about my favourite recipes and food things from this year along with my food goals for 2019!
Drumroll please…..
You are a wonderful bunch after my own heart. Your favourite recipe of 2018 is a fried yeasted dough. You really are my people. Oliebollen are having a moment in the media generally this year and heaps of you wanted to give them a go yourselves! Even though they’re traditionally a New Year treat I posted this recipe as the weather started to turn towards winter in this neck of the woods – the perfect time for some comforting fried dough! I am actually eating cold oliebollen for breakfast right now. Begin the year as you mean to go on…
A close second was a recipe that I had longed to post and finally I just sucked it up and did it. And you loved it. My 30% Whole Wheat Sourdough is helping more and more people take the leap to making sourdough and I couldn’t be happier. It’s sister post about sourdough basics was also near the top but isn’t technically a recipe. This recipe is the foundation for most of my sourdough bread making. It’s a fairly simple recipe that uses one bowl and covers all the basics of the process. It’s easily adapted and varied (I often use spelt instead of the whole wheat) so if you’re still on the fence about sourdough give it a go.
You can’t keep a classic down. Chocolate Caramel Slice is a staple of the kiwi bakery and your kitchens! This recipe was born out of a Facebook competition where I asked people what their favourite caramel food was and it was a clear winner then as well as now. Naturally I couldn’t resist making them a bit extra with cocoa nibs and salt flakes. I am who I am.
Not one but two sourdoughs in the top 5! Toasted Oat and Honey Sourdough was a crowd pleaser as well. Oats are one of my favourite things for flavour, texture and a bit of added nutrition – I’m clearly rubbing off on you! This beauty has 3 kinds of oats prepped in two ways and it’s a great introduction to using grain porridges in bread making. I might have to make this one for my next loaf!
Rounding out the top 5 is an incredibly delicious collab recipe that I made for Luke over at The Chocolate Bar. This Fig + Walnut Chocolate Truffle Cake was a big hit – delivering a lot of decadence for very little effort. The original recipe is designed to use Dick Taylor 70% Fiji chocolate but any fruity dark chocolate will be delicious – just use the best quality you can. I love adding figs to things to get a sticky sweetness and fabulous popping seeds.
Because some of my faves are in here, it’s only fair to mention the rest of the top 10! Lemon + Thyme Polenta Cake, Spicy Honey Gingerbread, Plum + Hazelnut Brownies, The Cheese Scone and Buttered Miso + Sesame Milk Bread all tickled your tastebuds too. These fine choices lend themselves to some excellent riffing with what’s at hand. I have made that gingerbread an obscene number of times. And now I want lemon polenta cake. Look what you’ve done.
Thank you so much for reading and baking and trying new things with me this past year. I can’t wait to get up to more delicious mischief with you in 2019!
Make more bread. Just eat the cake. Look after each other.
xx
