As the year comes to a close, we delve into the pages of Gourmet Traveller to find the dishes that shaped 2018. From vibrant to decadent to understated, here’s what we all cooked, ate and shared over the past 12 months. Let’s dig in.

Salted chocolate layer cake with whipped ganache
Salted chocolate layer cake with whipped ganache
Recipe and styling: Emma Knowles
Photography: William Meppem

Speck and cheese toasties with gribiche

Fried tortillas with broad beans, feta and lime
Recipe: Lisa Featherby
Photography: Ben Dearnley
Styling: Claire Delmar

Strawberry pistachio cakes

Calamari and corn tacos with salsa verde and Carne asada tacos with arbol chilli salsa
Recipe: Lisa Featherby
Photography: Ben Dearnley
Styling: Claire Delmar

Sorbello pizza
Recipe: Monty Koludrovic
Photography: Ben Dearnley
Styling: Lisa Featherby and Liz Elton

Cardamom nut cake

Lemon delicious pudding

Lamb meatballs with tahini and pine nut sauce
Lamb meatballs with tahini and pine nut sauce
Recipe: Max Adey
Photography Ben Dearnley
Styling: Lisa Featherby

Figs with whipped ricotta, orange and mint
Figs with whipped ricotta, orange and mint
Recipe: Max Adey
Photography: William Meppem
Styling: Emma Knowles

Chocolate-hazelnut meringue cake

Pineapple and coconut cake

Crumbed tofu with kimchi dressing

Gnocchi with demi-glace and sage
[Gnocchi with demi-glace and sage](https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au//recipes/fast-recipes/gnocchi-with-demi-glace-and-sage-16686 -|target=”_blank”)
Recipe: Hugh Wennerbom
Photography: Ben Dearnley
Styling: Lucy Tweed

Vanilla custard and burnt-toffee tart

Egg and Indian-spiced creamed silverbeet wraps
Recipe and Styling: Lisa Featherby
Photography: Ben Dearnley

Avocado bowl with quinoa, kale and tahini lemon dressing
Avocado bowl with quinoa, kale and tahini lemon dressing
Recipe: Emma Knowles
Photography: William Meppem
Styling: Lynsey Fryers

Miso-glazed mushrooms with walnuts and black barley

Barbecued barramundi with macadamia romesco
Barbecued barramundi with macadamia romesco
Recipe and styling: Emma Knowles
Photography: Ben Dearnley

Banana split with coconut

Brown rice chirashi zushi

Kohlrabi mosaic salad with almonds
Recipe: Charlie Carrington
Photography: Ben Dearnley
Styling: Lynsey Fryers

Charred prawn sandwich with fennel, lemon myrtle and lime
Charred prawn sandwich with fennel, lemon myrtle and lime
Recipe: Max Adey
Photography: William Meppem
Styling: Emma Knowles