At Ostara, the earth is waking up in anticipation of Spring... and it's not uncommon to find small treasures peeking out of the ground at us. Green shoots appear from the mud, and bright flowers appear where there was nothing the day before. This easy "surprise bread" reflects the theme of re-emergence, and you can put it together easily by using a pre-packaged lemon poppy seed bread mix. Add small treasures to the mix, as well as a few edible additions, and you'll have a real treat on your hands for your Ostara celebration.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 package Lemon Poppy Seed Bread mix
- Ingredients to prepare mix as directed
- 1/2 C golden raisins
- 1 Tbsp orange zest
- 1/2 C dried cranberries
- Non-meltable goodies to add into the bread, such as:
- A shiny coin
- A piece of gold or silver jewelry
- A ring
- A polished crystal
- Vanilla ice cream
Preparation:
Prepare the bread mix as directed. Once it's all mixed together, add in the golden raisins, the orange zest, and the cranberries. Finally, fold in a few small treasures, such as a ring, a cleaned coin, or a polished crystal. Be sure you select items that won't melt when you bake it in the oven!
Bake as directed on the package, and then remove from oven. Allow to cool. To serve, slice off pieces, keeping an eye out for the hidden treasures. Top each slice off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
This dessert bread can be used as a snack or appetizer, or you can incorporate it into your Cakes and Ale ceremony, if you include that as part of your Ostara rituals.
