Bagels, bird calls, and some basics

fresh blooms need fresh bakes

The birds are chirping, and I’m ready for all the spring baking recipes. If you’re in the baking mood, I made this collection of some of my favorite spring bakes to kickstart the upcoming season.

Want to know what I did last weekend? I went to a “birding basics” course, and color me fascinated.

I mean, they are interesting little creatures - though they move WAY too fast for me to not get dizzy trying to locate one or two with my binoculars. But the idea that each one of them is unique, with their own calls, colors, and ways of living…

Maybe I’ll become a casual birder.

I loved it when the instructor said something along the lines of “the noises you hear will become a symphony of sounds as you learn to identify the call of each bird.”

GOLDEN GOODIES

This is my favorite homemade bagel recipe. If you’re looking for fluffy, soft bagels with the perfect chew on the outside, make these this weekend.

I’m kicking off a new series: dessert gravy. Those yummy toppings, mix-ins, brush-ons, that require few ingredients, are honestly quite simple to make, and really level up the flavor of your bakes.

We’re starting with two classics, this easy lemon curd (using whole eggs, cause I can’t be bothered to separate the yolks), and…

…this raspberry jam.

I’ve shared this jam before, but never wrote it down for the blog until now. I actually got this recipe in pastry school, and it’s quite simply the perfect balance of tart to sweet (I hate overly sweet jams), requiring only three simple ingredients.

I’ve said this so many times with this series, but making these favorite small treats from around the world has really stretched my understanding of my own taste buds. Since I’m not usually a nuts-in-baked-goods person, wasn’t convinced I’d like these Egyptian kahk el Eid cookies, but…

They’re so tasty! While I think this recipe, with the pistachio-honey center, diverts slightly from tradition, I love not only the history and community behind the cookies, but their melt-in-your-mouth texture and flavor.

Enjoy all the blooms and bakes, my friends 🌷

Love,

Hannah

Tag me @accentgolden on Instagram and TikTok if you make any of these!

P.S. If you’re looking for a cause to support, let it be the MDA. They fund critical research on neuromuscular diseases while also supporting families with access to care and financial assistance. Head here to support.