Monday, December 31, 2012

My Favorites of 2012


Wow, it’s been another busy year! I’ve never done this before but I’ve decided to highlight some of my favorites from the past year. Most of these recipes are unassuming, but when I made them they were so good that you just kept going back for more! What’s also odd about most of these recipes is that they rarely get comments on my blog. I joke that if the recipe is fantastic then I won’t get any comments!


With these cookies I discovered the world of Biscoff, and it’s been a great journey. These cookies contain chopped and ground Biscoff cookies. I’ve also made a number of things with Biscoff spread and the flavor is fantastic. I just saw crunchy Biscoff spread at the store the other day so I will have to try that soon. If spice cookies are your thing, you’ll like these.


While I love the flavors of chai, I wasn’t sure about these cookies at first. They are so thin, and they look kind of plain. Yes, the icing helps, but they still don’t look fancy. Well, the flavors will win you over! We have a lot of tea drinkers at work (so surprising, I work in a library!) and the flavors of these bars is reminiscent of and pairs so well with tea. Sweet and spicy, these are such a hit.


When I make cakes for people at work, I usually ask what flavors they like. I have chocolate/peanut butter cakes that I would like to make, but most people aren’t too excited by that. I made this cake and took it to work “just because” and people couldn’t stop talking about it. It is a fun and great tasting cake, with peanut butter, honey and chocolate. Yum!


I think these just may be this year’s favorite. Oh, salty caramel mixed with almonds and pretzels on top of a cookie crust? Yes, please! They are a bit gooey but with lots of crunch and they are just perfect. I also used the topping for the inspiration for my friend’s birthday cake. These are just sublime, and they keep fairly well too, but you likely won’t need to worry about that.

I made this cake for my ballet teacher’s birthday and it was so good. It one of those cakes that have a lot of different ingredients and when you put them together in a cake, it’s just indescribable! The cake is super moist, which bits of sweetness and crunch. I love Bundt cakes because they are easy to bake and they travel well. Give this one a try next time you need a beautiful cake.

Last but not least, these cookies are probably my second favorite this year, and they are so easy! Just get over the expense of buying almond paste and you are good to go. These are sticky when you are making it, but they are worth a little mess. Your house will smell divine while these are baking and they keep well. I made them as a Christmas cookie but they really could be served any time.

Happy New Year everyone!

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