Baking Archives - Amy and the Great World

Top Christmas Markets in Europe + Bake Off Bake Along Week 10

November 13, 2017

Here in the United States, it’s usually accepted in most circles (except in the retail world) to wait for everything Christmas until after Thanksgiving, at the end of November.

Christmas in Europe, however, doesn’t have this rule. In addition, in case you haven’t heard, Christmas in Europe is completely magical. The only thing missing tends to be snow, depending on where you are (my hometown in Montana definitely wins on the snow front!). But, Europe has Christmas markets so…maybe it still wins ;).

I’ve been lucky enough to spend several Christmases in Europe, and very spoiled to visit quite a few markets over those years. Here are a few of my favorites!

Budapest

I had to give a shout out to my former home, of course! There are markets all over the city, some catered more to tourists, and some catered more to locals.

Cologne

Cologne, and Germany in general, might be the king of Christmas markets. There are no less than seven markets scattered throughout the city, each with a different theme. My favorite was the gnome-themed market, but the one by the famous Cologne Cathedral is a must-see, too!

Bruges

Bruges is wonderful any time of year, but Christmas is especially wonderful! The market there is tiny, but the whole city really feels like a Christmas market.

Prague

I couldn’t make this list without including Prague, of course! Prague is even more fairy tale-esque at Christmas, if you can imagine. There are a few Christmas markets scattered across the city, but my favorite is the one in Old Town Square, because you just can’t beat that ambiance!

Frankfurt

We met our friends last year in Frankfurt and I didn’t have very high hopes for some reason–but the Christmas market we went to there, in the old square, was delightful!

Nuremberg

Nuremberg might be one of Germany’s most famous, and while it isn’t my favorite, the city is pretty much taken over by Christmas and it’s so fun to visit!

Brussels

Brussels also has quite a few markets scattered over the city, but really the best part is the light show in the Grand-Place, if you ask me! And watching with a waffle in hand…even better.

This week was also the final week of the Bake Along Bake Off with Amanda! I used this chance to….make more bread. Surprise! I didn’t have a really good bread bake this year, although this week was okay, and the signature challenge for the final week was three different types of rolls.

I’m going to play the pregnancy card (again) and let you know that I only made one type of roll. I mean, I’m nine months pregnant here!

The rolls I did make, though, using this recipe, Braided Brioche Rolls, were amazing!

And absolutely, totally informal, as Mary Berry would say.

I think it was cold in our house because they didn’t rise very much–until they exploded in the oven that is!

One (out of six…) of the rolls turned out fairly neatly, and became the star of the show. Still, the rest were equally delicious!

I can’t believe it’s my last bake for this year! And that this is my second year in a row participating. Some of my best bakes over the past two years: these cream puffs, this pizza, these tiny chocolate cakes, my first spun sugar, this amazing bread, and my pumpkin cake!

The best thing about the baking challenge is getting back in the kitchen–baking is so relaxing and creative. Also, it’s been my major form of nesting–our freezer is stuffed with baked goods for after baby ;).

Here’s to more baking the rest of this year, and next year!

Baking Pregnancy USA

Life Lately + Bake Off Bake Along Week 9

November 5, 2017

The closer I get to my due date (3 weeks!), the harder it’s been for me to blog. I was sure that I would be super productive during this supposed “nesting” phase, and I figured that would include blogging. So far, I’m definitely not that productive–my version of “nesting” mostly includes a lot of baking and laundry and buying too many baby clothes.

Here’s more of life lately!

// An old friend and her sister threw me a wonderful baby shower! Since we’ve been living all over the place, and are living in Montana temporarily, I did not expect a baby shower at all. It was so amazing–and our little babe got totally spoiled.

We all decorated onesies and people got quite creative…

and I put on normal clothes and took off my glasses for the occasion (although I couldn’t mask the fact that I’m puffing like a marshmallow, am about the size of the moon, and always look tired nowadays).

// I’ve been hanging out with my parents’ dogs, as usual! Their little faces always cheer me up.

// I celebrated Halloween–my first in the United States for a long time!–by wearing a shirt with a pumpkin, passing out candy to cute littles, and carving a pumpkin!

// The day after Halloween, winter officially arrived with about a foot of snow! Since we didn’t get much snow these past few years in Europe, E and I are loving this weather. Although it does make driving more interesting.

// We’ve been slowly getting ready for the baby. I feel like we’ll never truly be ready, which is stressful, but part of that is because we have no idea what we’re doing. And, can you ever really be ready for such a huge life change?

Although I am thoroughly sick of being pregnant, I’m also pretty nervous about the next part. E and I are trying to soak up all the just-the-two-of-us time we can! Can any other pregnant ladies or moms out there relate to the sadness I feel saying goodbye to this just-the-two-of-us life?? Not to say I’m totally unhappy–the baby is on track and looking good still, and that makes me over the moon!

// I joined Amanda for the Bake Off Bake Along with choux buns (cream puffs in American-ese).

I made these Caramel Apple Cream Puffs (it was Halloween when I made them, so they needed to be somewhat on theme and appropriately autumnal!), and they were very delicious.

However, as it was my first foray into choux buns, I was mostly proud of the buns themselves! You just never know how these things will turn out in high altitude.

But they puffed so beautifully.

The recipe calls for this caramel sauce, and at first I was hesitant. They already were plenty sweet with just the apples and the cream filling, and I was worried the caramel sauce would make them sickly.

However, it was Halloween, and in the United States, that means sugar and decadence so eventually I ended up covering them in the caramel. It didn’t make them sickly–just more delicious, as salted caramel sauce is wont to do–but it did make them a bit harder to eat.

But that didn’t stop us from eating them up!

What’s life look like for you lately? Did you celebrate Halloween where you are?

Baking USA

Montana Snapshots + Bake Off Bake Along Week 7

October 22, 2017

I may miss autumn in Europe but Montana is gives a pretty good fall. Here’s some proof.

This color, and this trail right by my new place, makes the transition from living abroad–and the transition to becoming a parent–a little bit easier.

One of my favorite things about autumn, too, is baking, of course! Some good recipes I’ve made lately–this spiced pumpkin bread and this carrot bread.

I was also able to participate this week with Amanda for the Bake Off Bake Along…and this week was Italian week!

The first challenge was cannoli, which I’ve always wanted to make–but not enough to buy the tools (such as a deep fryer). So, I decided to make…

pizza!

A classic Margherita pizza–with a twist. A whole wheat crust, that is. (So not so much of a twist).

I haven’t made pizza in years, and when I did, it never turned out so wonderfully.

But this pizza was pretty good!

I may have overdone the mozzarella just a bit (ya think?).

But it’s hard to complain about extra cheese. There are much worse things.

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