Baking Trends 2013 and a Happy New Year!

(AKA 'What will be the "new cupcake"?')

It'll be a brand new year tomorrow. Which, other than a potentially stonking hangover from a rather marvellous New Years Eve and the need to purchase a new bit of stationary called 'Diary 2013' can mean only one thing. 

It's the annual What Kate Baked guide to Baking Trends for the coming year! The crystal ball has been dusted off, dark arts google consulted and here is the (by no means definitive, accurate or remotely useful) Baking Trends 2013 list. 

• According to Petra Barren, aka 'The Street Food Mastermind', as featured in January's Olive magazine the biggest trend of 2013 will be breakfast. I don't think she means soggy weetabix eaten while still half asleep at six am each morning on the way to work. Look forward to spiced banana French toast and bacon naan on a brekkie menu near you.

• Dome cakes and ombre bakes. Ombre? That's dip dye fade to you and me. A bit like when you haven't been to the hairdressers for a colour for a while.

• The search for the successor to cupcake continues- will the gourmet doughnut hit the top spot in 2013? A visit to St John Bakery, Druid Street any Saturday morning will suggest a resounding yes. Sell out flavours include rose petal, passionfruit and caramel custard. Meanwhile, over in the States, those with a sweet tooth can tuck into pretzel, bread and butter, and beer flavours

• Thomas Keller, of award winning French Laundry restaurant fame, is all set to make florentines hip again in 2013

• Vegetable desserts. Not just carrot cake but Fennel Panna Cotta and Avocado Mousse will all be served on the reverse side of menus. I know we need to eat more of our Five a Day and all, but signatories to my 'Protect Our Puds [from the invasion of the evil veg]' petition would be most welcome 

• The era of posh bread looks set to linger and the fondue renaissance is continuing its resurgence

• Enjoy the likes of MasterChef and Great British Bake Off? Never mind Scandi detective dramas, competitive cookery shows will be all over our telly screens over the next twelve months. Simon Cowell is launching a UK show, 'Food, Glorious Food' , described as 'the Antiques Roadshow of Food' while Nigella has her sights set on the U S of A. At time of writing, it hasn't been confirmed that Simon's show will be hosted by Ant and Dec, feature dancing dogs cooking and aim for a Christmas Number 1 hit single. Meanwhile, the GBBO Silver Fox himself, Paul Hollywood has a major TV series, entitled simply 'Bread', out in February.

• Keep an eye out for tea bars, coconut, white strawberries, big bold flavours and even more social media food sharing. 

• And finally, there will be fewer general baking books and more baking books devoted to single topics or themes. Such as this one, 'Marshmallow Madness' sent to me by the kind folk at Quirk Books. Now the festive baking is over for another twelve months (sob!) I'll be delving straight in to these fluffy, puffy treats

• Here's one of the recipes from Marshmallow Madness, reprinted with permission from Quirk Books:

Crème De Menthe Marshmallows

Makes: About 2 dozen 1 ½-inch mallows

THE BLOOM

4 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin

1/3 cup cold water

2 tablespoons crème de menthe (30 proof)

THE SYRUP

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup, divided

1/4 cup crème de menthe

1/4 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt

THE MALLOWING

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup Classic Coating*, plus more for dusting

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips (60% to 70% cacao), melted and slightly cooled

* Classic coating: Sift together icing sugar and cornstarch at a ratio of 3:1.

Lightly coat an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

1. Whisk together the gelatin, cold water, and crème de menthe in a small bowl. Let 

it soften for 10 minutes. 

2. Stir together the sugar, 1/4 cup of the corn syrup, crème de menthe, water 

and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. 

3. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the 

temperature reaches 240°F. 

4. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup corn syrup into the bowl of an 

electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. 

5. Microwave the gelatin on high until 

completely melted, about 30 seconds, and pour it into the mixer bowl. Set the mixer to 

low and keep it running.

6. When the syrup reaches 

240°F, slowly pour it into the mixer bowl. Increase the 

speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes. 

7. Increase to medium-high and beat for 3 more 

minutes. Beat on the highest setting for 1 to 2 minutes more, adding the vanilla. The f

inished marshmallow will be more than doubled in volume. 

8. Use a spatula to quickly fold 

in the chocolate chips; too much stirring can cause the bits to melt and give the candy a 

muddy look. Pour the marshmallow into the prepared pan. Sift coating evenly over top.

9. Let set for at least 6 hours in a cool, dry place.

10. Use a knife to loosen the marshmallow from the edges of the pan. Invert the slab onto 

a coating-dusted work surface. 

11. Cut it into pieces and dust the sticky edges with more 

coating. 

12. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Dip the 

bottom half of each mallow in the melted chocolate and place on the baking sheet. 

Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, about 10 minutes.

   

Images courtesy of Quirk Books

Baker's notes...

• It's all very well predicting what will be on trend in 2013, but how successful were the What Kate Baked predictions for 2012?
• Just like pic-n-mix: a mixed bag
• While marshmallows were considered by some to be 2012's 'new cupcake' and salted caramel made front pages, I'm still not entirely sure I know quite what caneles are and alfajores haven't yet made the aisles of our local M&S Foodhall
• Happy New Year everyone with lots of Happy Baking, Cooking and Eating in 2013!