Baking Spirits Bright 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back by popular demand….Last year’s cookie was such a hit that we’re baking it again this year!

The Winner: Holiday Shortbread Squares

 

New Baking Tip for 2024 from Anna Fine!

In a moment of recent baking panic, Anna discovered she could easily fit a batch of shortbread into her bread-baking schedule!

Here’s how it works:

1. 1. Mix and bulk ferment bread dough. At the end of bulk fermentation, preheat oven to 350, then divide up/pre-shape bread loaves.
   2. During their 20-minute rest period, mix up and get a pan of shortbread into the oven.
   3. Shape bread loaves while the cookies bake – 5 loaves took just about 20 minutes.
   4. Set loaves aside to rise, pull cookies out of the oven, add the toppings, and set the cookie pan in the fridge.
   5. Around 45 minutes later – bread is ready to bake, and cookies are ready to be sliced and frozen for future boxing.

* She also ordered Brach’s pre-crushed peppermint this past weekend from Target as a little shortcut.

About the Competition

What an incredible competition! 19 contestants, emerging from all corners of the Community Loaves region, submitted an incredible array of delicious cookies in the hopes of being this year’s Star Bakers! And they are all Stars in our book! Our 15 volunteer judges had the overwhelming task of evaluating each one.

The scoring was weighted to favor Taste and Ease. Every entry was truly divine, and I’m so grateful for the enthusiastic, festive, and “all-in” competitive spirit of our 19 contestants. Tough cookie decisions had to be made, there can only be one winner. And this year’s crowning Star Baker goes to Anna Fine of the Kirkland Juanita Hub.

In honor of the holidays, and because we know how much you love to bake, every participating recipe is featured below! Maybe you’ll find yourself scheming for next year. It isn’t too early to begin planning!

 

The Top Three cookies for 2023:
#1 – Anna Fine, Kirkland – Juanita, Holiday Shortbread Squares
#2 – Cathy Martin, Shoreline – Richmond Beach, Thumbprint Cookies
#3 – Mary Pacher, Port Townsend – Cape George, Rosenmunnar

For Your Baking Pleasure