Almond Oat Scones

 

2 cups flour, or a gluten-free flour mix
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter, frozen
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup sliced almonds
extra milk

Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together in a large bowl. Grate the frozen butter and cut it into the flour mix until there is no dry powder.

Whisk milk, sour cream, egg, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Pour over the flour mixture, add the oats and almonds, then stir to combine.

Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Dump the dough onto the sheet and press it together into a ball, then press it into a thick, flat disk. Use a dough cutter to cut it into 8 wedges. Pull them apart from each other. Brush the tops with the extra milk. Put the pan into the fridge or freezer while the oven is heating.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Bake for 18-25 minutes.

Dundee Biscuits

 

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
Sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 400° F.
    
In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, and oats. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a small bowl, beat together milk and egg yolk, then stir into flour mixture.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/2" thick. Cut out biscuits with a 1 1/2" round cutter. Reroll the dough and cut more biscuits. At this size, the recipe should make about 18 biscuits.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place biscuits on it.

In a small bowl, beat the egg white. Brush the tops of the biscuits with egg white, and top with sliced almonds.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Bakery Granola

 

4 cups rolled oats

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup raw peanuts, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/4 cup raw sesame seeds

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup ground flax seeds

1/4 cup chia seeds

6 Tbls. raisins

6 Tbls. dried cranberries

1/2 cup dried coconut, flaked or shredded

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbls. honey

6 Tbls. coconut oil

2 egg whites

Preheat oven to 275 F and line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

In a medium bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, beat together the honey, coconut oil, and egg white. Thoroughly stir this into the dry ingredients. Spread granola onto the baking sheet and cook for 45 minutes. (If making a half batch, cook for 30 minutes.)

Transfer the granola on the parchment, onto a cooling rack. Let cool before putting in a container.

Basic proportions:

4 cups grains

6 Tbls. sweetener

2 1/4 cup nuts and seeds

1 1/4 cup dried fruit

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.

Grumm's Experiment

From Martin the Warrior.  Grumm mixes together wheat flour, wild oats, wild plums, wild honey, and apples chopped small, then shapes the dough into cakes and cooks on a stone over a fire.

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup apple, minced
1 cup plums, stones removed, and cut into quarters

 Preheat oven to 425 F.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, oats, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the honey and fruit.

Warm the plum pieces to soften them (30 seconds in microwave), then mash them, focusing on separating the flesh from the skin and liquefying the flesh. Stir into the flour mixture. The dough should be very sticky and wet.

Drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet that is greased or lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the tops are golden-brown.

Breakfast Oatmeal Scones

3/4 cup cold buttermilk
2 Tbls honey
1 egg
2 cups flour (white wheat, whole wheat, or whole wheat pastry)
1 cup cooked oatmeal*
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
sugar
cinnamon or nutmeg

*the point of this is to use leftover oatmeal, so it's okay if there's stuff in the oatmeal (nuts, fruit, spices, sweetener). Reduce the amount of sweetener in the recipe if the oatmeal had enough in it already. You can add nuts, fruit, or spices to the recipe if you are using plain oatmeal. Or leave it plain. Whatever you like.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter and honey until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the oatmeal. Add milk and egg, stirring just until moist.

Place dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly until the dough is all together.

Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment.

Form the dough into little balls, place on the baking sheet, and gently press into circles.  Sprinkle cinnamon or nutmeg, and sugar on top. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

Apple and Strawberry Crumble

Filling:
3 apples
2 tsp. honey
1 lb. strawberries
1 Tbls. honey
1 Tbls. arrowroot powder
pinch of salt

Topping:
3/4 cup whole wheat flour, white wheat flour, or whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup rolled oats or oat flour
4 Tbls. butter
2 Tbls. sugar or brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. poppy seeds


Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Coat bottom of an 8" cake pan with butter.

Slice apples into cubes, removing the core. Place in a small pot with 2 tsp. honey and cook, covered, over medium heat, for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, hull and halve the strawberries. Place them in a large bowl with the rest of the honey, arrowroot powder, and salt. Stir to coat the berries with powder.

Put the apple mixture in the cake pan, then the strawberry mixture.

In another bowl, stir together the flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, and poppy seeds. Cut in the butter until there are no large chunks of butter and no dry flour. Sprinkle this mixture over the fruit in the pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden.

Pear Crumble

Filling: 
6 pears
6 Tbls. honey
2 Tbls. arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Topping:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or white wheat flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
6 Tbls. cold butter, cubed
6 Tbls. sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°F

Chop the pears into chunks, removing the cores. Stir together chopped pears, honey, and arrowroot in an 8” square pan.

Mix the flour, oats, and sugar in a bowl and rub in the butter until it is thoroughly combined, with a texture like soft crumbs, and no dry powder. Spread evenly over the fruit. 

Bake 35-45 minutes.

Blackberry Pear Tart

Crust:
3/4 cup flour (whole wheat, whole wheat pastry flour, white wheat flour, or oat flour)
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup cold butter, cubed
1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1.5 tsp. ground ginger, minced fresh ginger, or minced candied ginger

Filling:
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbls. flour
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup blackberries
2 Tbls. milk, or nut milk
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 pear, cored and sliced thinly

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Crust: Stir together the flour and oats. Cut in the butter until crumbly and there's no dry powder. Stir in the sour cream/yogurt. It should be a somewhat wet dough. Sprinkle flour in the pie tin, then dump the dough in and press it evenly onto the bottom and sides. (No need to refrigerate or roll out).

Filling: Mix flour and brown sugar well. Stir in sour cream, berries, milk, and cloves. Mix well and spread into the crust. Lay the pear slices over the cream.

Bake for about 45 minutes until the crust is golden brown, the edges of the pear slices are browned, and the cream is bubbling.

Damson Crumble

5 cups of damson plums, pitted and quartered
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour (any kind)

1 cup flour (white wheat, whole wheat pastry, or oat flour)
3/4 cup rolled oats
2 Tbls. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Stir together the plums, brown sugar, and flour. Pour into a 9" baking pan.

Stir together the flour, oats, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in the honey, egg, and melted butter. Crumble by hand over the top of the fruit. Bake for 40 minutes.

Apple and Wild Plum Crumble

Filling:
3 cups chopped apples

3 cups chopped plums

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Topping:
1/2 cup flour (whole wheat, whole wheat pastry, white wheat, or oat flour)

3/4 cup nut flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup butter, cold, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 375 F. 

Stir together the apples, plums, brown sugar, and ginger. Put in a 9" baking dish. Stir the oats, flour, and nut flour together. Cut in the honey and butter until there are no more large chunks. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit. 

Bake for 30 minutes.

Oat Crust for Pies and Tarts

 

 

This rich and hearty crust is well-suited for savory pies, and adds a rustic texture and nutty oat flavor to sweet pies.

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup cold butter, cubed
1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Crust: Stir together the flour and oats. Cut in the butter until crumbly and there's no dry powder. Stir in the sour cream/yogurt.

Sprinkle flour in the pie tin, then dump the dough in and press it evenly onto the bottom and sides. It can be baked now, or chilled for a sturdier crust.

 

For a half-baked crust, when the filling is to be baked for 30 minutes or less, bake the crust alone for 10 minutes. For a fully baked crust, bake alone for 15-20 minutes. If the crust does not need to be pre-baked, use the baking time for the pie filling recipe.

Quince Tart

Crust:

1/2 cup flour (whole wheat, whole wheat pastry, white wheat, or oat flour)
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
2 Tbls. cold water

Stir together the flour, oats, and salt. Cut in the butter until it's clumpy. Stir in the water. Put dough on a piece of plastic wrap and use the wrap to press it into a ball, then chill.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Meanwhile, make the filling:

2 1/2 cups almond flour
1 cup quince jam
2/3 cup dried or candied fruit, finely chopped
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sour cream

Mix all ingredients together.

When the crust is firm to the touch, place the ball of dough in a pie tin. Use the plastic wrap as a shield to roll or press out the dough to shape the crust in the pie tin. Press the filling evenly into the crust.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

For the dried fruit, I used whole raisins, whole currants, and chopped prunes.

Pear Maple Crumble

 

 Filling:

5 1/2 to 6 cups peeled, diced pears
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons minced candied ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
 

Topping:

2/3 cup flour

3/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
 6 tablespoons cold butter, diced

Heat the oven to 400°. Place the diced pears in a large bowl, sprinkle the cornstarch over them, and stir well. Add the remaining filling ingredients and toss gently, until the mixture is evenly combined.

Turn the filling into deep-dish pie tin and smooth the top of the fruit. Bake for 45 minutes.

While it's baking, make the topping. Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut in the butter until you have large crumbs. Refrigerate the topping until you are ready to use it.

Lower the oven temperature to 375°. Remove the fruit from the oven and carefully pour the crumbs in the center of the pie, then spread them evenly. Return the pie to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Transfer the pie to a rack to cool for at least 2 hours before serving.

Pear Tart

1/2 cup flour (whole wheat pastry flour, white wheat flour, whole wheat flour, or oat flour)
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
2 Tbls. cold water

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Mix flour, oats, and salt. Cut in the butter until it's crumbly. Stir in the ice water 1 tablespoonful at a time, then press together into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze to make it harder.

Roll out the crust between two pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Press into a pie or tart pan. Prick bottom with a fork. Bake for 5 minutes, then let cool completely.

1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbls. flour
1 cup sour cream
1 Tbls. fruit juice
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
3 cups of pears, cored and sliced thinly

Reduce oven to 350 F.

Mix flour and sugar well. Stir in sour cream, fruit juice, and cloves. Mix well and spread most of it into the cooled crust, reserving about 1/3 cup. Lay pear slices over the cream, then spread the remaining cream on top. Bake for 30-40 minutes until crust is brown and cream is bubbling. Serve warm or cool.

Oat Scones

3/4 cup cold buttermilk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour (white wheat, whole wheat, or whole wheat pastry)
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp chilled butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup oats
1 small egg, lightly beaten
cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375°. Combine the first three ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Combine flour and salt, in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cut in chilled butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the oats. Add milk mixture, stirring just until moist.

Place dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly until the dough is all together. Place on a baking sheet that is either greased, or lined with parchment. Form dough into an approximately 3/4" thick, 9-inch circle. Cut dough into 12 wedges all the way through.

Brush the small egg over the dough and sprinkle cinnamon on top. Bake until golden, 18-20 minutes. Serve warm.

Laverbread

This is somewhat different from the traditional Welsh laverbread/lava bread recipes you'll find out on the net.

1 cup prepared laver, or nori sheets torn up and soaked in water until soft (drain off excess water)
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup corn meal, corn flour, or oat flour
vegetable oil
salt
pepper
malt vinegar

Stir together the laver/nori, oats, and corn flour. It should make a "dough" that holds together, and is not runny or extremely sticky.

Warm the oil in a pan for frying. Form the dough into thin patties about 2" across. Fry them for a few minutes on each side, until golden and crisp. Place on a wire rack over paper towels to drain off excess oil.

Serve sprinkled with salt, pepper, and vinegar.

Makes about 9 patties.


Where I live, it's a lot easier to find nori, seaweed that has been toasted and rolled flat in a sheet. It is the same species of the seaweed used in Wales, but it's been prepared differently. As stated in the recipe, you can just soak it in water to soften (only takes a minute or so) for good results.

Drop Biscuits

2 3/4 cup flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
 3 Tbls. Olive oil
3 Tbls. Coconut oil or butter
1 1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 450° F.

Stir the flour, baking powder and salt together. Cut in the butter, or grate it & stir it in. Stir in the milk and yogurt. For whole wheat flour, you might need 1 or 2 more tablespoons of milk. It should be a very soft, sticky dough. Drop by large spoonfuls onto a greased or lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Makes 12.

Variations:

Reduce the salt to 1/2 tsp. Add a bit of honey or sugar, and other things like nuts, oats, and dried fruit to make scones.

Use olive oil instead of butter. Add 1 tsp. rosemary and 1 tsp. black pepper and roll out into thin pizza crusts (recipe is enough for 2 medium-large pizzas). It makes a nice crackery crust.

Make vegan by using coconut oil instead of butter and water instead of milk. The biscuits still turn out soft and fluffy.

Add 3/4 cup of grated cheese.

Redwall Abbeyscones

From Legend of Luke, these scones are meant to resemble the bricks from which the abbey is built.

1 cup whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or white wheat flour
1 cup oats
pinch of salt
1/4 cup butter
2 Tbls. crystallized honey
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup preserved cherries with juice (Not cherry jam or pie filling, just canned cherries) or fresh cherries, pitted and mashed
1 Tbls. beet juice, or beet powder, or juice from any red berry, optional
allspice

Preheat oven to 425.

Stir flour, oats, and salt into a bowl. Cut in butter and honey until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add nuts and cherries. Add a few tablesoons more cherry juice if necessary to make a dough, but not too sticky. Beet juice or powder or berry juice may be added if a stronger red color is desired.

Turn onto a floured surface and knead a little until it's cohesive. Place the dough on a baking sheet that is either greased or lined with parchment, and roll or press it into a rectangular shape. Cut it into smaller rectangles. Sprinkle allspice on top.

Bake for 10 minutes.

The batch pictured here didn't turn out very red because canned cherry juice doesn't have a strong color, and I didn't have any of those other colorants on hand. Still delicious, of course.

No-Bake Cookies

2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup peanut butter
3 cups oats
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine sugar, milk, butter, salt and cocoa in a pan and bring to a boil. Once it has reached a full boil, time it for 1 minute and remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla until the peanut butter is all melted in, then add the oats. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper. Let cool until hardened (it should only be a few minutes).