Well, I finally got the photos loaded and on the computer.  Recipes are provided with notes, and since some were first time recipes, they'll count toward my 50 for the year. :)

I've put everything behind a cut, since there are large images and a lot of text.

First Place Drop Cookie and Grand Champion Best Cookie
Cranberry Sparkling Gems (Recipe 17 in my quest)



These cookies were remarkably easy and pretty. I am sure my photos don't do them justice.  The sparkling sugar, a requirement to get the right texture and look, made them sparkling and added a unique texture.  I think that the uniqueness of the cookie's texture and look is ultimately what made these cookies win.  I'll be making these during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, for sure.  The cranberries are really a part of the flavor. But yeah, you need the sparkling sugar. You can't just use regular, refined white sugar as a substitute. 

The recipe is from King Arthur Flour, as a lot of my favorite recipes are.

Cookies
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) King Arthur White  Whole Wheat Flour, organic preferred; or  King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 cups (7 ounces) dried cranberries,  packed
2 tablespoons (1/2 ounce) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into pats
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) milk

Coating
1/3 cup (3 ounces) coarse white sparkling sugar
1/8 teaspoon tart and sour flavor (optional, but very good)

Place the flour and dried cranberries in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the cranberries are coarsely shredded. Imagine a single dried cranberry cut into about 4 pieces: that’s your goal.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

Whisk together the flour/cranberry mixture, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the vanilla and butter, mixing until the butter is thoroughly distributed, but some pea-sized chunks still remain. Dribble in the milk while mixing; the dough will become cohesive.

Place the coarse sugar and tart and sour flavor in a jar, and shake to combine thoroughly. Pour the sugar into a roomy plastic bag; about 1/2-gallon size should do.

Using a teaspoon cookie scoop (or a spoon), scoop the dough by 1 3/4-teaspoonfuls (about 1 ¼" balls) into the bag, 6 or 8 at a time. Close the top of the bag, and gently shake to coat the balls with sugar. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, and use the bottom of a glass to flatten them to about ¼" thick (about 1 ½" in diameter). Repeat with the remaining dough.

Bake the cookies for 16 to 17 minutes, until they’re set and barely, BARELY beginning to brown around the very edge; the tops shouldn’t be brown at all. Remove them from the oven, and cool right on the pan.

First Place - Braided Yeast Breads and Runner-up Overall Best Yeast Bread
Raspberry Butter Braid Bread




Again my photos don't do my baked goods justice. It's something on which I need to work. I originally saw this recipe posted by spracker, who found it at bakebakebake and then she posted her version in super_supper.  Since, I've made this recipe probably 15-20 times.  It's a popular request from family members and it's one of my favorites. 

At the fair, I was up against four other braided breads, one of which was also a raspberry braided bread.  I was pleased when the judge cut into it and the texture was perfect.  It was just the right crumb, and my filling was beautifully displayed in pockets at varying levels of the bread.  The other filled bread had a dense, thick crumb, and it was obvious that mine had the superior texture.  The judge also commented on how it wasn't dry at all, something that she often sees in a fruit-filled braid.It was a good feeling.  This bread ended up becoming the runner-up yeast bread overall. I was a little bummed, but the dinner roll that it lost to (the one I placed second to in the dinner roll category) was a perfectly made bread. 

The recipe is easy to make:

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 envelope or 2.5 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 large egg at room temperature and beaten slightly
• 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 raspberry filling, such as Solo brand
• 1 large egg, beaten with 2 tbsp. water

Equipment

• 2 Large Bowls
• 1 Small to Medium Saucepan
• Plastic Wrap
• 2 Greased Cookie Sheets
• Rolling Pin

Directions

1. Sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup warm water in small bowl; stir to dissolve. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature. Scald milk in heavy, medium saucepan. Add butter, sugar, and salt. Let stand until butter melts. Pour mixture into large bowl. Cool to 105 to 115 degrees.
2. While milk is cooling, grease two large cookie sheets and set aside. Lightly grease second large bowl and set aside.
3. Add yeast mixture and 1 beaten egg to milk mixture. Stir in flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form a soft, slightly sticky dough. Turn out onto lightly floured counter and gently knead into a ball.
4. Place dough in greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
5. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, about two minutes. Divide dough in half. Divide each half into 3 pieces. Roll each piece out between hands and floured surface to 18 inch long rope. Using a rolling pin, roll each rope into a flat strip, about three inches in width, taking care not to roll too thin.
6. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of raspberry filling down the length of each strip. Fold dough over filling to seal in jam in the ropes.
7. Arrange the three ropes side-by-side on one of the cookie sheets. Braid ropes. Pinch ends together and tuck under loaf. Repeat process with remaining three ropes on second cookie sheet for second loaf. Cover each loaf with plastic wrap and let rise in warm draft-free area until nearly doubled in volume, about one hour.
8. Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush egg wash over loaves. Bake until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on bottom, about 20 - 25 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool. Top with your favorite cream cheese icing for an even more exquisite treat.

Second Place Dinner Rolls
Amish Dinner Rolls (Recipe 18)

Here is what they look like after the first rise and shaping. They're almost ready to be put into the oven. This was the pan from which I submitted my entries, but the recipe makes about 16 rolls altogether.



Here is what they look like baked and then brushed with a little butter for shine:



If you're in the market for the be-all, end-all pull apart dinner roll, look no further. I've never in my life tasted such an exquisite dinner roll.  Seriously.  These are just as they look - light, fluffy, flavorful and they damn near melt in your mouth. I am making a batch this morning.  They are simply to die for.  The judge commented that she'd never had a better pull apart roll.  The dinner roll that beat this one ended up winning the overall yeast bread champion award.  That roll was a bit different in every way. It was a nice roll, and I can see why the judge picked it as far as technique and skill, but I know in my heart that she loved this one's taste more.  The look on her face said it all. 

Oddly, my first attempt to make a dinner roll for this category was King Arthur's Soft Garlic Knots (Recipe 19), but I was unimpressed with the results of that one.  This recipe is from King Arthur as well, and it more than outdoes any other dinner roll recipe I've tried. The leftovers were gone from our house (with just two of us!) in under 24 hours.

The secret?  The mashed potatoes.  Not kidding. I first learned of the wonders of mashed potatoes in breads through a Cook's Illustrated test.  The potatoes provide the needed starch, but in a moist, soft way.  More flour would make these dry and dense.  The potatoes keep the flavor rich and the texture light. No one will EVER guess the secret ingredient.  I use mashed potatoes in my deep dish pizza crust and it has made all the difference.

The recipe:

2 eggs
1/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) butter
1 cup (7 1/4 ounces) unseasoned mashed potatoes, lightly packed*
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
3/4 cup water (potato water, if possible)
4 1/4 cups (18 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

*1 medium-to-large baking potato will yield 8 ounces of mashed potato.

Manual/Mixer Method: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients, and mix until the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased or floured surface, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it's smooth and shiny. Or knead it in a mixer, using the dough hook. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or rising bucket, turn to coat, cover the container with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise till it's doubled in bulk, about 90 minutes.

Bread Machine Method: Place all the ingredients into the pan of your bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer (usually, liquids first, yeast last). Program the machine for dough or manual, and press Start. Check the dough about 10 minutes before the end of the final kneading cycle and adjust its consistency as necessary by adding additional water or flour to form a soft, smooth ball. Allow the machine to complete its cycle, then allow the dough to remain in the machine till it's doubled in bulk, perhaps an additional 30 minutes or so.

Shaping: To make stand-alone rolls, divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. If you want to make soft-sided, pull-apart rolls, divide the dough into 15 pieces. This isn't as challenging as it sounds: first, divide the dough into three equal pieces (about 375g, 14 ounces, each). Pinch off one piece, about the size of a racquetball or handball (75g, 2 3/4 ounces), off each of the three pieces, setting the pinched-off pieces aside; then simply divide what's left of the three pieces into four pieces each. Presto! Fifteen balls of dough. Gently roll the dough balls under your cupped fingers till they're nice and round.

Place the 16 dough balls onto a parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheet or sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them. Or place the 15 dough balls into a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch pan, spacing them evenly in five rolls of three balls each. Cover the pan(s) with a proof cover or lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the rolls to rise for about 2 hours, till they're quite puffy; the rolls in the 9 x 13-inch pan should be touching (or almost touching) one another.

Baking: Bake the rolls in a preheated 350°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, till they're golden brown. Remove them from the oven, carefully turn them out of the pan -- the pull-apart rolls will come out all in one piece -- and brush them with melted butter, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Second Place - Sweet Rolls
Truffle-stuffed Buns (Recipe 20)

These were pretty darn good.  They're stuffed with Lindt Dark Chocolate truffles. The chocolate on top is leftover from my no-bake bars, which appear later on.  These were easy enough to make, but next time, I might make some adjustments, like adding some King Arthur Dough Improver to make them easier to shape.  If you don't get everything perfectly sealed, the filling leaks.  These are best warm, right from the oven.

The Recipe, by King Arthur Flour:

3 cups (12 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) sugar
3 tablespoons (1 ounce) Baker’s Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
3 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) potato flour or 1/4 cup potato buds or flakes
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons, 2 ounces) butter
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/8 cups lukewarm water

Combine all of the ingredients--by hand, electric mixer, or bread machine--and mix and knead till you’ve made a smooth, soft dough. Place the dough in a bowl, and allow it to rise, covered, for 60 to 90 minutes; it’s a very slow riser, so don’t expect anything spectacular.

Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 16 pieces. Let the pieces rest, covered, for about 10 minutes, while you survey and decide upon your fillings. Whatever you select should be about the size of one of those 25¢ gumballs you get out of a machine; the wrapped LINDT(r) “Lindor” truffles are the ideal size.

Working with one piece of dough at a time, flatten it slightly, just enough to be able to wrap it around whatever size chocolate (or other candy) you’ve selected. Place the candy in the center, and bring the edges up around it, sealing them very tightly and thoroughly. Place the ball of dough, seam-side down, on an unfloured, very lightly greased work surface. Cup your fingers over it (like you’re grabbing a softball) and, using the palm of your hand, roll it in a quick circular motion. This rounds the ball up nicely, and also helps finish the seal on the bottom. Place the bun in a lightly greased sticky bun pan (12 x 12 inches), or into a 9 x 13-inch pan. Repeat with the remaining dough balls. Cover the pan, and allow the buns to rise for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours at room temperature. By that time, they should be getting close to touching, but probably won’t be touching yet.

Bake the buns in a preheated 350°F oven for 18 to 20 minutes, till they’re golden brown, but still show some white down towards their bottoms; you don’t want to overbake these, or they’ll be dry and tough. Remove them from the oven, and brush them with additional melted butter, if desired (I did). Transfer them to a rack to cool, allowing them at least 10 minutes, for the chocolate to set, before breaking one open. Yield: 16 filled buns.

Note: If you don’t have any chocolates (or don’t want to donate them to this particular cause), make buttery cinnamon knots. Roll each piece of dough into a 12-inch log, and tie it in a simple knot. Bake as directed above; brush the hot knots with butter, and sprinkle heavily with cinnamon-sugar (or not).

 

Second Place - French or Other Crusty Bread
Ciabatta Bread



I've made this recipe a handful of times.  Though it placed second to a French bread loaf, the judge commented that this was a fine example of a homemade Ciabatta, so I was pleased.  It's always nervewracking with this bread.  It's really delicate and requires a lot of patience, timing and work to make.  It is the sort of loaf that you make because you love the work involved. It's not for beginner's who get impatient and I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who has not refined kneading enough to know what is the right amount.  You really need to knead it in that "taffy pull" style to get it right, and you have to, HAVE TO, resist adding flour. It's a mess in the beginning, but the results are impeccable.  I was pleased when she sliced open the bread, revealing defined, strong, pockets of air and the exact texture I was hoping for.  It can be disheartening to spend *SO* much time on one loaf, only to have it come out wrong.  Luckily, this didn't disappoint.

This recipe can be found here, and is from Martha Stewart Magazine, in the January 2008 issue I think.

Second Place - White Bread
King Arthur's Favorite Sandwich Bread



I've posted this one before, and it's a great loaf. A staple in our home, and I make several loaves a week. It's easy, delicious, and has a great texture for sandwiches.  I love it! Ultimately, this loaf didn't rise as nicely as previous loaves have, and I think that's why it came in second.  The first place loaf had a beautiful rise.


Third Place - Muffins
English Muffins (Recipe 21)



A lot of people think these would be hard or weird to make, and I wish I had a better picture.  These were really easy to make, and you cook them on the stove top.  It is fun to watch them puff up, and it's more fun to taste them.  I'll make these regularly, too, and as I have made them since this first batch,they get better and better.  I highly recommend them.

The Recipe:

1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) milk, warm
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) butter
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons (7/8 ounce) granulated sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4 to 4 1/4 cups (17 to 18 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast

Place the ingredients in the pan of your bread machine following the manufacturer's instructions. Use the "dough" or "manual" setting. After the cycle is complete, transfer the dough to a cornmeal-sprinkled surface and roll it out until it's about 1/2-inch thick. Cut out circles with a floured 3-inch cutter. Re-roll and cut out the leftover dough. Cover the muffins with a damp cloth and let rest for about 20 minutes.

Heat a frying pan or griddle to very low heat. Do not grease, but sprinkle with cornmeal. Cook four muffins at a time, cornmeal side down first, for about 7 minutes a side.

Check after about 3 to 4 minutes to see that the muffins are browning gently and are neither too dark nor too light; if they seem to be cooking either too fast or too slowly, adjust the temperature of your pan or griddle.

When the muffins are brown on both sides, transfer them to a wire rack to cool, and proceed with the rest. If you have two frying pans (or a large griddle), you'll be better able to keep up with your rising muffins.