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Photograph of Granola - Core Recipe

Granola - Core Recipe

This delicious crispy granola is the foundation on which I make the majority of my granola throughout the year. Oats, puffed rice, nuts, coconut and seeds are all coated and slightly sweetened in a delicious crispy layer made from maple syrup or honey, coconut oil or sunflower oil, vanilla extract, spices and a touch of salt.

Course Breakfast, brunch, healthy snack, Snack
Keyword core recipe, granola
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Author Susan

Ingredients

Binding ingredients:

  • 100g maple syrup, honey or agave syrup
  • 60g coconut oil - you could use another type of flavourless oil such as groundnut or sunflower
  • 1 tablespoon/3 teaspoons spice - such as cinnamon, mixed spice, ginger, chai, Pumpkin spice, Christmas spice
  • 1 - 2 teaspoons extract - such as almond and vanilla
  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt

Granola mixture:

  • 3 cups/300g jumbo rolled oats OR 2 cups/200g jumbo oats plus 2 cups/60g puffed brown rice
  • 1 cup/50g coconut - desiccated or flaked
  • 1 cup/130g chopped mixed nuts - I like flaked and/or whole almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, pistachio, pecan nuts, walnuts
  • ¼ cup/4 tablespoons/40g seeds - I use a mix of sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, chia, flax and hemp.

Dried fruit:

  • 1 cup/140g dried fruit - sultanas, raisins, currants, cherries, pineapple, mango, cranberries, blueberries, apricots, dates, mango, papaya, pineapple. The 1 cup measurement is based on the fruit being the rough size of a sultana. If you are using larger pieces of dried fruit, cut them into pieces before you measure them in the cup

Instructions

  1. Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.

  2. Preheat oven to Fan Oven 140°C/160°C/325°F/Gas mark 3

  3. Weigh the binding ingredients directly into a saucepan.

  4. Heat over a moderate heat and mix thoroughly with a balloon whisk.

  5. Chop any nuts if necessary and weigh the granola ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Stir to mix well.

  6. Pour in the binding ingredients.

  7. Thoroughly mix ensuring all the granola ingredients are thoroughly covered in the binding mixture.

  8. Tip out onto an oven tray lined with baking parchment.

  9. Spread out the granola and level out over the oven tray.

  10. Cook for 45 minutes stirring every 15 minutes.

  11. Take out of the oven and leave to cool. When cool add the dried fruit.

  12. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from the sun.

  13. To serve:

    Delicious with dairy, coconut, soy or almond milk. Also fabulous with yogurt, fresh fruit and/or a dollop of nut butter. Try sprinkled on porridge or over cooked fruit and ricotta or simply eat as is when you need a quick and healthy snack.

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

  • saucepan
  • large mixing bowl
  • kitchen scales, measuring cups and spoons
  • large baking tray lined with baking parchment