Winter Spiced Granola
The world of homemade granola is just a moment away – well, 30 moments to be exact. Ben Colvill shows how this is possible.
Oats toasted with maple syrup, flecked with nuts and bejewelled with fruit requires pleasingly little effort and less skill. Fragrant with just the right amount of warm winter spice, this version is naturally and unapologetically vegan. Whilst oats are naturally gluten free, they can be contaminated with other cereal products during processing, so look for those labelled gluten-free if this is a concern.
The peppery greenness of extra-virgin olive oil is essential here. A regular supermarket blend will suffice (save your finest Ligurian oil for pesto). Pairing it with coconut oil enhances fragrance and mouthfeel. Maple syrup adds its customary umami twang and a restrained sweetness. But the real deal is expensive and you might want to reserve it for the unadulterated lux of weekend pancakes. If so, golden syrup is a perfectly fine substitute, and the amounts suggested here won’t tax your palate overly.
Nuts and seeds – some are negotiable (hazelnut, walnut, pecan), others are not (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, flaked almonds). For the dried fruit, somewhere around 200 g hits the spot: neither parsimonious nor excessively demanding at breakfast. Be creative with the mix, but aim for a balance of sweet intensity (sultanas, raisins, dried apricot, dates) and refreshing, sour notes (dried cranberry, cherry, blueberry). Use organic ingredients if you can source, or indeed afford, them – but a very good version can be made from local discount supermarket staples. Although perhaps with less karmic glee.
| Ingredients (15 servings) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 300 | g | rolled oats (we recommend a 50/50 mix of smaller with larger flakes for texture) |
| 100 | g | pumpkin seeds |
| 100 | g | sunflower seeds |
| 50 | g | flaked almonds |
| 50 | g | roughly chopped pecans |
| 25 | g | sesame seeds |
| 2 | teaspoon(s) | ground cinnamon |
| 2 | teaspoon(s) | ground ginger |
| 1 | teaspoon(s) | ground cardamon |
| 1 | teaspoon(s) | sea salt flakes |
| 2 | tablespoon(s) | coconut oil |
| 100 | ml | extra-virgin olive oil |
| 125 | ml | maple syrup or 150 grams (roughly 4 generous tablespoons) of golden syrup |
| 1 | tablespoon(s) | vanilla extract |
| 50 | g | desiccated coconut |
| 200 | g | mixed dried fruits (we used equal amounts of sultanas, cranberries, finely chopped (soft) dried apricots, and finely chopped Medjoool dates |
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/160° fan, 350°F, gas mark 4. Line two large, shallow baking trays with baking parchment.
- In a large bowl mix together the oats, nuts, spices and salt.
- Melt the coconut oil over a medium heat, then add the olive oil, the maple (or golden) syrup and finally the vanilla. Mix together.
- Pour the oil mixture over the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly to coat everything in the golden slick.
- Divide between the baking trays, spreading out into a thin, even layer.
- Bake for an initial 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle over the desiccated coconut and fork through, simultaneously turning the oats as best you can. N.B. the oats at the edge tend to brown more quickly, so be sure to mix these back in as you go to ensure even toastiness.
- Bake for a further 10 minutes.
- The oats should now be a light, burnished bronze. Bake for a further 5 mins if you prefer a darker and more intensely nutty blend.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly before transferring to a bowl big enough to hold oats and fruit.
- Whilst the oaty mixture is still warm, add your chosen dried fruits and mix to combine.
- Once fully cooled transfer to an air-tight jar and label proprietorially.
Tip:
Enjoy with ice-cold oat milk, a good dollop of coconut yoghurt and a certain smugness that only comes with making one’s own.
