Christmas Spice Granola with Pistachios, Coconut and Cranberries
A delicious, crispy granola loaded with the colours and flavours of Christmas - green pistachio nuts, white as snow coconut, ruby red cranberries and a wonderful selection of Christmas spices.
Makes sufficient for a 1 litre jar.
Ingredients
Flavouring and binding ingredients:
- 140g maple syrup or honey
- 70g coconut oil or vegetable oil
- 1½ tablespoons Christmas Spice Mix or 1 tablespoon cinnamon powder and ½ tablespoon mixed spice (See Recipe Notes for Christmas Spice)
- 1¼ teaspoons almond extract
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Oat and nuts mixture:
- 225g porridge oats - I use Jumbo oats
- 70g puffed brown rice
- 55g desiccated coconut
- 150g mixed nuts – I like ½ pistachios plus some almonds, walnuts or pecans and hazelnuts
- 50g mixed seeds - I use pumpkin, sunflower and sesame
Add after cooking:
- 80g dried cranberries
- 80g raisins or sultanas or a mix of both
Instructions
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Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.
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Preheat oven to Fan Oven 140°C/160°C/325°F/Gas mark 3
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Weigh the maple syrup/honey, oil, Christmas Spice Mix, almond and vanilla extract and salt into a saucepan large enough to take all the remaining ingredients.
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Heat over a moderate temperature and melt. Stir well.
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Roughly chop the nuts.
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Add the nuts and the remaining ingredients (apart from the dried fruit) to the saucepan.
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Mix thoroughly and tip out onto a baking parchment lined, large oven tray. (I use the one from inside the oven.)
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Level out the granola and bake in the centre of the oven for 45 minutes, stirring well every 15 minutes.
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Take out of the oven and leave the granola to cool on the tray.
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When cool, add the dried cranberries and raisins/sultanas and mix well.
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Transfer to air tight containers.
Recipe Notes
Equipment:
- large saucepan
- kitchen scales, measuring cups and spoons
- large baking tray lined with baking parchment
- airtight glass jars with lids
What is the best way to store this granola?
Kept in an air tight container and stored in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight, this granola will last for up to 3 months. Make a big batch, I promise you’ll need it!
Christmas Spice Mix:
- 1 tablespoon and ¾ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- ¼ teaspoon all spice
- ¼ teaspoon coriander
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon powdered anise
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon mace
This make 2 tablespoons and ½ teaspoon
(NB 1 tablespoon = 15ml)