52 Weeks of Baking

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Welcome to 52 weeks of theme-based baking! A new challenge each week of the year. This is a great way for beginners to learn, and for experienced bakers to expand their skill set and explore their creativity.

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2024 Challenge List (self.52weeksofbaking)
submitted 11 months ago by Okokimup to c/52weeksofbaking
 
 

Original Reddit post

Since we only have like 3 active users right now, we'll continue following along with Reddit. If we have more regular posters by the end of next year, we can look at coming up with our own list.

Week 1 12/31/2023 New Year, New Recipe

Week 2 1/7/2024 Quick Bread

Week 3 1/14/2024 South Africa

Week 4 1/21/2024 Seasonal Ingredients 1 : Use an ingredient that's in season where you live

Week 5 1/28/2024 Bite Sized : Bake a mini-treat

Week 6 2/4/2024 Japan

Week 7 2/11/2024 My Decade : Bake something that was trendy the decade you were born

Week 8 2/18/2024 Custard or Pudding

Week 9 2/25/2024 Fermented Ingredients

Week 10 3/3/2024 Tower Bake : Bake something vertical

Week 11 3/10/2024 AI Generated : Cook a recipe generated by your favorite AI app

Week 12 3/17/2024 Sponge Cake : Make a Genoise or Victoria or Angel Food or another type of sponge cake

Week 13 3/24/2024 Animals : Make something animal shaped, or inspired by animals or treats for your pet.

Week 14 3/31/2024 Edible Book Challenge : Bake something inspired by literary titles, characters or authors

Week 15 4/7/2024 Turkey : Bake a treat from Turkey

Week 16 4/14/2024 Ancient Grains : Incorporate one or more ancient grains in your bake

Week 17 4/21/2024 Caramel or Sugar work : Make something incorporating homemade caramel or spun sugar or another decorative sugar creation

Week 18 4/28/2024 Tropical Flavors : Incorporate tropical flavor(s) into your bake

Week 19 5/5/2024 Mexico

Week 20 5/12/2024 Show Stopper : Bake something show stoppingly gorgeous. Look to past GBBF show stopper challenges for inspo.

Week 21 5/19/2024 Inspired by Nature

Week 22 5/26/2024 Flatbread

Week 23 6/2/2024 Celebration of Life : Bake something beloved by someone you love (who may or may not have passed)

Week 24 6/9/2024 Seasonal Ingredient 2 : Use an ingredient that's in season where you live

Week 25 6/16/2024 Monochrome : Bake something black & white or shades of a single color.

Week 26 6/23/2024 Inspired by STEM : Show off your engineering skills, or a baking science tip you've learned. Or switch it up and bake something inspired by science.

Week 27 6/30/2024 Chocolate Work : Channel your inner chocolatier and conjure up a homemade chocolate confection. Or make a dessert incorporating chocolate

Week 28 7/7/2024 Meringue

Week 29 7/14/2024 Superfoods : Incorporate a superfood ingredient into your bake (anything from wheatgrass to acai berries)

Week 30 7/21/2024 Olympic Themed : Take inspiration from the Olympics for your bake. Bake something olympic themed, or pick a treat from the country you’re rooting for.

Week 31 7/28/2024 Rolled : Bake something that is rolled

Week 32 8/4/2024 Frosting & Icing : Learn a new technique Try out a frosting or icing technique you haven't mastered yet

Week 33 8/11/2024 Brazil

Week 34 8/18/2024 Coffee / Tea Flavor : Bake something incorporating coffee or tea, or something that pairs with them.

Week 35 8/25/2024 Laminated

Week 36 9/1/2024 Plating : Show off your plating skills

Week 37 9/8/2024 Regional : Favorite Bake a specialty of your region

Week 38 9/15/2024 Choux Pastry

Week 39 9/22/2024 Unfamiliar Ingredient : Use an ingredient you haven't tried before or haven't had success using

Week 40 9/29/2024 3D Shape : Bake something in a 3D shape : spherical or square or another

Week 41 10/6/2024 Buns

Week 42 10/13/2024 Enriched Dough

Week 43 10/20/2024 Gelling Agent : Use gelatin or a vegetarian equivalent

Week 44 10/27/2024 Samhain : Celebrate the Celtic festival of Samhain by making something traditional to the regions it's celebrated.

Week 45 11/3/2024 Crepes & Pancakes

Week 46 11/10/2024 Pantry : Bake something using only the ingredients already available in the house

Week 47 11/17/2024 Pies & Tarts

Week 48 11/24/2024 Same Latitude : Bake a specialty from a region on the same latitude as you

Week 49 12/1/2024 Savory : Bake something savory

Week 50 12/8/2024 Cookie Swap : Post your favorite cookie recipe and try out someone else's

Week 51 12/15/2024 Yeast Leavened

Week 52 12/22/2024 Nemesis :   : Bake something that defeated you this year

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submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by Okokimup to c/52weeksofbaking
 
 

This sub is for people who want to challenge themselves and try new things. Viewers should be celebrating that, not judging the results. You don't have to up vote everything, but please do not down vote people's submissions. Thank you.

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Recipe. My guess is I didn't have the right kind of semolina. I couldn't get it to stretch more than 8" and my dough didn't look as loose and transparent as the images on the site. Being so thick, they ended up raw on the inside and inedible.

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I dont make pies much because cooked fruits always triggered my gag reflex as a kid. It's thanksgiving time here in the US, so i have beene trying to bake pies to give out to friends and family.

This is a modified cobbler recipe that i had. I have been having loads of issues getting pie crusts to cooperate with me this month, and this was no exception. They keep coming out dry and flavorless no matter what i do. I've tried store bought, I've tried handmade, and nothing does what i expect it to do. I'm about to get a notebook and go full chemist on my pies to figure out what i am doing wrong. Obviously my weave was doomed from the start as i realized i needed to weave it before putting it on the pie.

On a personal note, i finally got a stable job this week. No more weeknight bartending hoping to make $20 a night. i got a job at a print shop that works with quite literally every organization in the surrounding area. That, coupled with my kittens getting their final round of vaccines this week means i can hopefully end the year on stable footing.

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Recipe. Haven't tried the pie yet (used a brown butter crust), but I baked the excess filling in a ramekin and that was delicious. I have never made an attractive crust in my life.

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Original reddit post

Post Hello, bakers! This week’s challenge is Same Latitude, where we explore flavours, ingredients, and recipes inspired by countries that share our geographic latitude. Take a look across the globe to discover surprising connections in cuisines from places with similar climates and seasonal ingredients.

Dive into what’s traditionally baked in these regions, or let local, in-season ingredients guide you. You might find yourself trying new techniques, spices, or flavours from cuisines you’d never thought to explore—all united by the same line on the map.

Let’s bake our way around the world this week and share what we discover with our latitudinal neighbours. Looking forward to seeing your inspired creations!

Happy baking!

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Original reddit post

Hello, bakers! This week’s challenge is Pies and Tarts, so whether you’re leaning toward a buttery, flaky pie crust or a tender, crumbly tart dough, there are plenty of options to explore!

There’s no one “right” dough here—shortcrust pastry is great for a firmer base, pâte sucrée (a sweet tart dough) adds sweetness and structure, and even graham cracker or cookie crusts bring their own charm. So, roll, press, or pat out whichever dough feels right for your pie or tart vision, and let the filling inspiration follow.

Some ideas for you to try:

Cherry Berry Pie

Vegan Chocolate and Strawberry Custard Tart

Mushroom and Asparagus Tart

Peach Hand Pies

Let's see those golden-brown edges and beautifully filled centers—happy baking!

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I've been doing a lot of cookies recently. I always love to add walnuts to my chocolate chip cookies. I also went ahead and added a little bit of cloves to give them an extra little flavor. I should have swapped the baking sheets halfway through the bake, as the bottom rack cookies were a little under done.

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I've made a lot of things recipe that I could have used for this challenge if I remembered to take a photo. Served these with dal paneer masala and it was all delicious.

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Original reddit post

Hey bakers! This week, we are diving into our cupboards, getting resourceful, and transforming the basics into something delicious! No need for fancy ingredients—just a dash of imagination and a sprinkle of ingenuity.

Maybe you're low on fresh eggs or milk—try substitutes like flaxseed or coconut milk if you have them on hand. Or perhaps you’ll lean on those jars of nut butter, bags of oats, or a hidden stash of chocolate chips for inspiration. Remember, spices and extracts can add a new layer to any recipe, so go bold!

Some ideas to get you started:

French Toast Casserole

Banana Bread

Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Bars

So raid your pantry, experiment with what you’ve got, and share your creative results.

Happy baking!

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Recipe. I almost forgot to take a pic before they were gone. Delicious, served with fermented Cranberry sauce, maple syrup, and toasted pecans.

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I don't know why i struggle with yeast breads so much. I can never get them to proof properly so my loaves always come out so deflated and tough.

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I used this recipe from my grans old cookbook

Unfortunately i messed up rolling the pancake, so it all came apart on me when i tried to transfer the little rolls. It all tastes great, basically an English manicotti, i just wish it didn't all fall apart so that you had something pretty to look at.

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Recipe. In lieu of cider, I used apple pie flavored whiskey. They are moist and delicious. I don't have a donut pan, so I placed rolled up aluminum foil in muffin tin spaces.

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Original reddit post

Hello, lovely bakers! And this week it’s Crepes & Pancakes turn. Whether you’re swirling up delicate, lace-thin crepes or flipping a stack of fluffy, golden pancakes, this is your chance to master the art of the perfect griddle batter.

For crepes, consider letting the batter rest for a smoother, more tender result, and don’t forget the magic of a hot, lightly buttered pan. Pancakes can go classic and fluffy or take on a twist with add-ins and spices.

If you are looking for inspiration, here are some ideas to get you started: Ham and Cheese savoury Crepes

Japanese soufflé pancakes

Dutch baby

Let’s flip, stack, and roll our way through this week.

Happy baking!

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submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by [email protected] to c/52weeksofbaking
 
 

Did you know that cranberries are full of pectin? I sure didn't until this week. But it's cranberry season here in the US, so i made a cranberry sauce with lime juice and maple syrup, and threw some corn starch in there to really seal the deal! O absolutely love lime and cranberry sauce, and the maple syrup really brings out a fall flavor to the pie. Thats on top of a condensed milk and cream cheese filling. On top we have a flour, brown sugar,and walnut crumb. I will admit that i cheated and used a frozen pie crust for it, but the challenge was for gelling agents, so hopefully you'll all be kind on me for that.

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Original reddit post

Hi bakers! This week, we celebrate the Celtic festival of Samhain by asking you to make something Samhain themed or traditional to the regions in which the holiday is celebrated.

Samhain is officially on November 1st , but celebrations actually begin the evening of October 31st. It denotes the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. Bonfires are lit on that night, and some believe that on that night the boundary between the living and the Otherworld is thinnest at that time. Souls of family members that have passed are believed to revisit their homes and family members may even set places for them at the table. People may dress in costume and go door to door to recite verses in exchange for food (sound familiar?). It's thought that people may have dressed up to disguise themselves from spirits.

As always, here are some example recipes that fit the theme. Happy baking, and happy Samhain!

Soul Cakes

Barmbrack

Irish Soda Bread

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Recipe. Recipe was a little confusing, but it came out delicious and beautiful.

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submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by Okokimup to c/52weeksofbaking
 
 

Original reddit post

Intro Hi bakers! This week's challenge is to make something using a gelling agent - that is, a substance that can turn a liquid into a semi-solid or a solid.

There are many options to choose from. There's gelatin, of course! There's also things like agar, pectin, guar gum, and more.

As always, here are some example recipes that fit the theme. Happy baking!

Spanish Flan

Vegan Lemon Tart

Mirror Glazed Cake

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I made these with some more pureed pumpkin for Sunday dinner with my old neighbors. These were super simple to make and made a great addition to a lovely dinner of butternut squash bisque and a chuck roast.

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Recipe. I stuffed them with hamburger filling.

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Original reddit post

Hello bakers! It's week 42, and this week's challenge is to make something using an enriched dough. An enriched dough is a bread dough (aka a lean dough - made with flour, water, yeast, and salt) which has been enriched with things like sugar, milk, and eggs. Enriched doughs cover a pretty wide breadth of treats both sweet and savory.

As always, here are some example recipes that fit the theme:

No-Knead Challah

Cheese, Spring Onion, and Chive Brioche Buns

Cinnamon Rolls

Happy baking!

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Recipe. Really really good with butternut squash bisque. Also I made these a few weeks ago and had a sandwich with pimiento cheese, bacon, mustard, and caramelized onions. The bun couldn't hold it together but the flavor combination was incredible.

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It's pumpkin season here in Ohio, so i bought a couple pie pumpkins from a farm market and wemt to town. Unfortunately i had a lot of trouble with my pastry dough, which was ledt over from the danishes i made for the laminated challenge. You can see uncooked puff pastry on the pie, and the crust also came off the pie pan and was a hot mess. But the pumpkin filling was excellent and a big!

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Original reddit post

Hi bakers! Hold on to your buns, because it's buns week! ;) Bun can mean different things in different parts of the world, but as long as it's called a bun it's fair game. Examples include small savory bread rolls, sweet rolls, small sweet cakes, and more!

Here are some example recipes that fit the theme, as always:

Baked BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao)

Hot Cross Buns

Burger Buns

Happy baking!

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