👩‍🍳 ASA March 28 👨‍🍳

Easter is a time of renewal and celebration, marked by gatherings that often center around the dining table. This year, why not elevate your Easter feast with the ancient art of sourdough baking? Sourdough, with its rich history and nuanced flavors, offers a delightful way to incorporate tradition into your holiday meals, from sunrise services to late-night feasts.

A Fresh Take on Easter Breads

Sourdough baking for Easter can extend beyond the typical loaf, embracing the season's symbols and flavors. Imagine starting your Easter Sunday with a light, citrus-infused sourdough pancake breakfast, or breaking a beautifully braided sourdough bread, enriched with eggs and sweetened with honey, at your family dinner. These dishes not only bring a depth of flavor that yeast-based breads often lack but also offer a healthier alternative, thanks to sourdough's fermentation process.

Easter Sourdough Specialties

One cannot talk about Easter sourdough without mentioning the lemon pound cake. Reimagined with sourdough discard, this cake becomes moister and more tender, with a subtle tang that complements the lemon's brightness perfectly. It's a refreshing conclusion to any Easter meal, promising to become a tradition in itself.

For those looking to add a savory touch to their Easter table, sourdough discard can also be transformed into delightful herbed crackers. Paired with cheeses, these crackers can serve as an elegant appetizer or a light snack for guests to enjoy throughout the day. Incorporating spring herbs like chives, parsley, and dill not only adds flavor but also brings a burst of spring color to your table.

The Gift of Sourdough

Easter is also a season of sharing and caring. A jar of sourdough starter, accompanied by a simple recipe card, makes for a thoughtful and unique gift for your loved ones. It's a gift that keeps on giving, offering the recipient a chance to explore sourdough baking in their own kitchen.

Sourdough: A Symbol of Resilience and Renewal

Sourdough's very essence, with its natural fermentation process, embodies the spirit of resilience and renewal—themes at the heart of Easter. The starter's ability to rise, fall, and come back to life with just flour and water mirrors nature's resilience. Baking sourdough for Easter is a meaningful way to honor this cycle of renewal, bringing a sense of connection and continuity to our lives.

Conclusion

This Easter, let sourdough baking be a part of your celebration. Whether it's through a loaf of bread shared among family, a tangy lemon cake that brightens your table, or the gift of a starter, sourdough offers a way to enrich your holiday with flavors that speak of care, tradition, and the joy of sharing. So, as you plan your Easter festivities, consider giving sourdough a place at your table. It's a choice that promises to add depth, flavor, and a touch of magic to your holiday gatherings.

We are so excited to have you on our email list.  Each week we do giveaways for Free Sourdough Swag!  To be entered simply reply to this email with your favorite section or simply say "got it."  Each time you reply you get an entry into the next weeks contest!  We love giving away free stuff to our fellows bakers!

Click here to learn more about the American Sourdough Association!

Savory Easter Bread Pudding with Asparagus and Gruyère

Ingredients:

• 8 cups sourdough bread, cubed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup diced ham (optional)
• 1 leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated
• Fresh chives, chopped, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a large baking dish.
2. Prepare Bread: Spread the sourdough cubes on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, or until slightly dried out. This prevents the bread from becoming too soggy.
3. Cook Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus and leek, cooking until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the diced ham during the last 2 minutes of cooking if using.
4. Combine: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, mustard powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in the cooked vegetables (and ham), sourdough cubes, and 1 cup of the Gruyère cheese.
5. Assemble: Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, pressing down slightly to ensure the bread is submerged. Sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère cheese.
6. Bake: Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center is set.
7. Serve: Let cool for a few minutes, then garnish with chopped chives before servin

Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

For the Dough:

• 1 cup sourdough discard
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup whole milk, warmed
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

For the Filling:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

For the Frosting:

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Dough:

   • In a large mixing bowl, combine the sourdough discard, melted butter, warmed milk, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
   • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder.
   • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour.

2. Knead the Dough:

   • Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead gently for a few minutes until smooth.
   • Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.

3. Add the Filling:

   • Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together.
   • Spread the softened butter over the rolled-out dough, then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly on top.

4. Form the Rolls:

   • Starting at one long edge, tightly roll up the dough. Cut the log into 12 equal slices.
   • Place the slices, cut side up, in a greased baking dish. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until slightly puffed.

5. Bake:

   • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
   • Bake the cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes, or until they are golden brown on top.

6. Prepare the Frosting:

   • While the rolls are baking, beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth and creamy.

7. Finish and Serve:

   • Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and let them cool slightly.
   • Spread the cream cheese frosting over the warm rolls before serving.

A group for people that want to have fun with sourdough. There are no dumb questions! We are here to have fun, make yummy treats and measure with our souls...when we feel like it. Sourdough has a lot of rules...but many that can be broken.