I am in constant amazement at the price of store-bought granola. Someone is making a killing. At my local organic food market, I see it selling for ten times the cost of making it myself. It's easy to make, and given you are free to add your favorite fruits and nuts, well worth the effort.
Although similar to muesli, granola differs in that rolled oats are toasted with flavored syrup to make them crunchy. A little oil is also added to make the oats extra crunchy and slightly waterproof. This prevents them from getting soggy in the bowl with milk.
Granola is best when it contains a balance of fruit and nuts. The fruit is sweet and the nuts add an extra crunchy texture. In selecting my flavor combinations, I tend to think of great cocktail or dessert pairings like piña coladas or apple strudel and work from there.
When making granola, I often make a double batch so that it lasts me a month. This is admittedly a throw back to my university days. Sickened by the all-ramen diet of my peers, I would make bucketfuls at a time. It was great comfort food while studying.
Preheat oven to
300°F150°C
.
Prepare the coating as per directions below. Mix the coating with the oats. Once combined, the oats should be damp and taste vaguely sweet.
Working in batches, spread a 1/2 inch layer of coated oats onto parchment-lined baking sheets. A nice even layer will help cook the oats all at once and prevent burning.
Today I am making mango and coconut granola. The oats have been mixed with the mango syrup and oil and are ready for baking.
Toast for 20 to 25 minutes until the oats are lightly browned. Having laid your oats on parchment (award yourself a gold star if you made the effort), they should all brown evenly. If you skipped this step, you may notice your oats browning quicker around the edges. If so, pull the tray out of the oven half way through and stir them so the outer oats move to the cooler center.
While the oats are baking, chop the dried fruit and nuts you will add to the final granola.
Slicing the dried mango into strips. The thickness of the strips depends on the firmness of the fruit. I favor thinner strips for harder fruit.
When the oats are lightly browned, remove from the oven. They will still be soft to the touch and slightly tacky. Don't worry; they will crisp up as they cool.
The oats have changed color and are now lightly browned. Note how even the browning is, a consequence of forming an even layer of oats on parchment paper.
After a few minutes of cooling on the tray, transfer to a large bowl. Add your choice of fruits, nuts and other flavorings. Stir to combine. Allow to cool completely to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container. Sealed like this, your granola will keep for months.
The finished product. Enough mango and coconut granola to keep me happy for a few weeks.
This granola is based on the subtle flavoring of oats with fruit pulp. In place of mango, you can substitute any fruit that will yield a thick nectary pulp such as apricots, pears or guava.
Cut the cheeks from a ripe mango and remove the skin. In a blender, puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and add the sugar and oil. Stir until combined. Use as directed above.
Fresh mango slices that will be blended for the syrup.
This granola is based on a sweet syrup (in this case honey). You can concoct alternate flavors based on other syrups like pomegranate or maple. As such syrups contain very little water, the oats will toast a little quicker. Watch them closely so they don't burn.
As far as dried fruits go, peaches are pretty firm. To save your teeth, chop them into pieces no thicker than 1/8 inch.
Dried peaches and almonds for the granola.
Of the three varieties presented, this one is watery on account of the cider. As extra liquid is the enemy of crunch, the trick is to reduce the cider slowly over low heat until it is thick and syrupy like honey.