Basic Fruit Crisp

This basic recipe can be used as the template for many variations of the classic dessert.

For a medium sized cobbler, about 9" x 6".

Filling:
3 cups fruit, fresh or frozen                                       
about 1/4 cup sugar (more or less depending on the fruit used)

Topping:
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Prepare the fruit as necessary, such as washing, peeling, chopping it into roughly bite-sized pieces, removing seeds. Stir the fruit and sugar together, then spread into the bottom of a baking pan.

Stir the oats, flour, and sugar together. Use your fingers to rub in the butter until there is no dry powder. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit and bake for 30 minutes.

Variations:
Use rolled barley, rye, or wheat instead of rolled oats.
Use white sugar, brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup.
Combine any type of fruit.
Add 1-2 tsp. of spices to the filling or the topping.
Add extras to the filling like chopped nuts, dried fruit, shredded coconut, or chocolate chips.
Use coconut oil instead of butter.
Use different types of flour in the topping such as almond flour, corn meal or masa harina.

Apples & Peanut Butter

My favorite for breakfast or a snack.

1 apple, sliced
1/4-1/2 cup peanut butter, depending on size of apple

Optional add-ins, a spoonful:
Ground flax seeds
Chia seeds
Cocoa powder

Barley Scones

2 cups white wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups rolled barley
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup milk or nut milk

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line baking sheet with parchment.

Sift flour, barley, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Cut in butter until there is no dry powder. Stir in honey and add enough milk to make a soft dough. Dust the countertop and the top of the dough with flour, and roll out the dough to about 3/4" thickness. Cut out scones with a circle cutter, or another desired shape. Place on baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the tops have golden-brown edges.

Makes 10-12 large scones.

How to rise bread dough

1. The dough should be warm from using warm liquid in the recipe.

2. Coat the dough in water or oil to prevent it from drying out, which will stop the rising.

3. You want to create a little greenhouse for it, so it stays moist and warm. Do this by putting the dough in a bowl, then covering the top of the bowl. There needs to be enough space for the dough to expand. I find it best to cover the bowl with a plastic bag that has plenty of space above the bowl.

4. Make a note of how big the dough is.

5. Give it a warm place to rise in. If necessary, heat the oven to warm, turn it off, and keep it in there with the door closed. Don't let the plastic touch anything.

6. Let it rise until doubled in size. The time it takes depends on the ingredients, temperature, and elevation. Check it every half hour.

7. After the first rise, some recipes will have the dough get thoroughly kneaded again, some will have it gently shaped and left at that. In any case, the same environment must be replicated so that the dough stays warm and moist, and doesn't get smashed when it enlarges during the second rise.

8. For loaves of bread baked in a pan, it should rise until it is about an inch above the pan's rim. And larger than that can cause a collapse. For rolls or other types of loaves, let it rise until it reaches the desired size.

9. Bake it according to the recipe.

This method can be used for any yeast bread, unless the recipe specifies a different method.

Honey Spelt Bread

3 Tbls butter or coconut oil
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup honey
1/2 Tbls salt
.7 oz fresh yeast or 2 1/2 tsp dry yeast
1/2 cup room temp water or milk
1 egg
1 cup spelt flour
4-5 cups whole wheat flour

Stir together the hot water, butter/oil, honey, and salt. Mix in 1 cup of flour. Mix in the yeast and lukewarm water/milk. Mix in the egg. Mix in the rest of the flour one cup at a time. The dough will be very soft. Knead in enough flour to keep it together and and not sticky, but don't expect it to form a sturdy, resistant dough.

Coat with oil, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes or until doubled.

Gently roll it into a log shape. Place in a greased bread pan, coat with oil, cover, then rise again for 30 minutes.

When the dough is about 1" above the rim of the pan, bake at 350 F for 40-50 minutes, until browned on top and about 180° F inside. Let cool until it easily comes out of the bread pan.