TWD: Toasted Almond Scones

Oh, how I love, love, love Scones! In Vienna you can buy Scones maybe at Starbucks, but nowhere else. Not in any bakery, not in any other coffeeshop. Just like biscuits, they are not common round here. So I know them more from TWD and my few visits in the US so far. But I ADORE them, every single one. Really. I never met a scone or biscuit I didn't like :o]

So, many thanks to Mike of Living Out West who chose Toasted Almond Scones for this week's TWD. You can find the recipe on this page or in Dorie's book on pages 28 and 29.

I first made them about one year ago because during Lenten Season I was looking for recipes in Dorie's book where you could omit the sugar and this was one of them, and I think that these were definitely the best scones I made so far! I liked them last year, and I love them the now the second time I made them.

Generally, breakfast treats are some of my favourite bakings. Some people are good when it comes to chocolate loaded torte, others master tartes like nobody else. And I guess I am at my best when it comes to scones, biscuits and everything brioche (and icecream, funnily).

The Toasted Almond Scones are easily made. The most time consuming part is toasting the almonds... you can bake them before breakfast on a Sunday morning and enjoy them while they are still warm. Is there a better start for a Sunday ?

TWD: Chocolate Oatmeal Drops

This TWD week has two host: Caroline and Claire of Bake With Us chose Chocolate Oatmeal Drops (got there for the recipe or have a look at page 75 in Dorie Greenspan's book).

This is an excellent choice for this week, as Dorie herself will have been involved into heavy cookie baking this last week... I have been in NYC by chance, when the Cookie Bar did pop up last year. What a great experience! The cookies are great and it is nice watching Dorie and her son talking with baking friends.

So, now what about this week's TWD-recipe?
Generally, I love doing cookies, but I am not all too much into chocolate in the batter. I like chocolate chunks, I like chocolate chips, but I am not thrilled by chocolate cookie dough.

Taking this into account, these cookies are very good. The combo of dark chocolate cookies and oats is a fine one, and gives the cookies a special texture.

They are easy to prepare and don't need a lot of baking experience. But don't misinterprete them as "healthy", just because they have some fiber in it :o]

(P.S.: If you wonder why some of the Drops in the first picture seem to be completely pale - these are Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters, originally due long time ago in September 2008. I was looking for a way to bake something with the oat-leftovers, and peanutbutter is my all-time-favourite baking ingredient, so the choice was easy!)

TWD: Great Grains Muffins

Let's make this quick and dirty - Great Grains Muffins, chosen for this week's TWD by Christine of Happy Tummy, are a wonderful breakfast treat! They are not too sweet and even I can mix them together in a snap. And: There are millions of possible varieties, because you can deviate from the basic recipe in a myriad of ways. So, no excuse for not baking them due to any unloved ingredient ;o]

I did stick mainly to the original, despite I mixed the meal-types in slightly different quantities (more cornmeal and only wholewheat). And I omitted the oats, because I did not want to open a 2 pounds package for just a few grams, and used some shredded nuts and grains instead (a mix of sunflower/pumpkin seed and soya beans for salad) . Perfect match! And it additionally supports the breakfast/muesli character of the muffins.

They did almost not rise, but maybe they shouldn't. But who cares anyways... as long as they taste good and look agreable!

Find the recipe at Christine's page or in Dorie's book on pages 8/9.