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Let's welcome Spring with a delightful baking session, shall we?

With the transition from cool to warm weather, there's a certain joy that comes with baking in Spring. Don't you feel it too?

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As many of the recipes in this newsletter prove, this baking doesn't always have to be complicated, but it does have to be fun and delicious.

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And these have you covered on both fronts:

1. They really are perfect for spring
2. They're a great treat for your mom (or yourself!) for Mother's Day

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Let's dive in.

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In this week's newsletter:

• Recipe: Lemon-y ciambella (Italian cake)
• Recipe: Any-fruit galette (so easy!) or pie
• Recipe: Twisty chocolate knots
• Recipe: The perfect breakfast scones
• Recipe: Exquisite French canelé
• Baking Question: Why are my baguettes splitting on the sides?
• Links: TK

🍋 Ciambella

I've been making this one often because it's just so easy and so good. If you don't have the ring pan, you can use any bundt pan you have (instructions in the recipe).

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While I don't usually top this with anything, a dollop of crème fraîche or freshly whipped cream would be a real treat.

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GET CIAMBELLA RECIPE →

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🥧 Galette or pie

This sourdough starter discard galette or pie crust is one of those back-pocket recipes you know will work every time.

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In fact, I always have at least one crust in the freezer, ready for a quick galette with whatever is in my kitchen that week: fresh strawberries, frozen blueberries, apples—anything!

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GET GALETTE RECIPE →

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🍞 Chocolate Knots

Soft, enriched dough twisted around with a filling of dark chocolate—I mean, yes, please.

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These are super fun to make, and the twisting bit—the most fun part—is easy and even fun for the kiddos to help with.

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GET KNOTS RECIPE →

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🍞 Scones

How can you go wrong with a good, trusty scone?

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In the same vein as the pie crust above, that is, butter and flour can never steer you wrong. These will make the best welcome to spring (and the best Mother's Day, too).

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GET SCONE RECIPE →

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🍞 Canelé

These French pastries are truly next-level. The custardy interior is contrasted by a brittle caramelized shell that'll haunt your dreams forever. They're a bit of work, but there's no better pastry, IMO.

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GET CANELE RECIPE →

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💬 Member Discussion of the Week

With baguettes (and other bread shapes, too), that kind of splitting is usually due to insufficient steam in the oven. Be sure you're throwing in enough ice/water when you load the dough. You can then also do another round of ice after 5-8 minutes during baking.

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Be sure to read through my guide to steaming your home oven for tips and tricks to make this easier and more effective.

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🛟 2 Ways I Can Help You Today

• Be sure to keep an eye on your dough temperature (and keep that dough in check) as temperatures start to climb.
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• A reader recently asked how I store my bread to keep it fresh; here's my go-to tips for keeping your bread fresh for as long as possible.

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📙 What I'm Reading and Watching

• ​Archaeologists find surprisingly well-preserved 8,600-year-old bread in Turkey (ZME Science; Thanks, Eric!)

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Happy baking and happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there (mine included, I know you're reading this 😀)!

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Maurizio Leo