Almond Granola with Dried Fruit | perfect for Breakfast

JD

October 07, 2019

0

breakfast, brunch, healthy-food

Store-bought granola suffers from many shortcomings. It’s often loose and gravelly and/or infuriatingly expensive, and it never has exactly the balance of ingredients that you wish it had. We wanted to make our own granola at home, with big, satisfying clusters and a crisp texture. The secret was to firmly pack the granola mixture into a rimmed baking sheet before baking. Once it was baked, we had a granola “bark” that we could break into crunchy clumps of any size. We liked using maple syrup as a sweetener for its mild character, especially when balanced with the molasses notes of light brown sugar. The best way to incorporate dried fruit was to keep it away from the heat altogether, stirring it in once the granola was cool. Do not substitute quick or instant oats.

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• ⅓ cup packed (2⅓ ounces) light brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 5 cups (15 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 cups (10 ounces) whole almonds, chopped coarse
• 2 cups (10 ounces) raisins or other dried fruit, chopped

Cooking Procedure

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk maple syrup, sugar, vanilla, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk oil into maple syrup mixture, then fold in oats and almonds until thoroughly coated.
3. Transfer oat mixture to prepared sheet and spread into thin, even layer (about ⅜ inch thick). Using stiff metal spatula, compress oat mixture until very compact. Bake until lightly browned, 40 to 45 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer sheet to wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Break granola into pieces of desired size. Stir in raisins. (Granola can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.)

Hazelnut Granola with Dried Pear - Cooking Variation

Substitute skinned and coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts for almonds. Use 2 cups chopped dried pear for dried fruit.

Pecan-Orange Granola with Dried Cranberries - Cooking Variation

Add 2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest and 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon to maple syrup mixture in step 2. Substitute coarsely chopped pecans for almonds. Use 2 cups dried cranberries for dried fruit.

Spiced Walnut Granola with Dried Apple - Cooking Variation

Add 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1½ teaspoons ground ginger, ¾ teaspoon ground allspice, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon pepper to maple syrup mixture in step 2. Substitute coarsely chopped walnuts for almonds. Use 2 cups chopped dried apple for dried fruit.

Tropical Granola with Dried Mango - Cooking Variation

Decrease vanilla extract to 2 teaspoons and add 1½ teaspoons ground ginger and ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg to maple syrup mixture in step 2. Substitute coarsely chopped macadamia nuts for almonds and 1½ cups unsweetened shredded coconut for 1 cup oats. Use 2 cups chopped dried mango or pineapple for dried fruit.

DIY GRANOLA - In a Chef's mind

Our basic recipe is very adaptable; just keep a few rules in mind as you mix and match.

The Base

The ratio of oats to other ingredients in our granola is slightly more than 1:1 by volume. You want a bit more base than mix-ins, but that base doesn’t have to be just oats; try replacing 1 cup of the oats with 1–1½ cups unsweetened shredded coconut or even quinoa flakes.

The Nuts

Almost any type of nuts will work. We like chopped nuts for a more even distribution, but if you choose a smaller nut or like the texture of bigger pieces, try whole nuts. Or replace half of the nuts with seeds.

The Oil

Fat is essential for a substantial, crisp texture. Fat and liquid sweeteners form a fluid emulsion that thoroughly coats ingredients, creating crunch as the granola bakes. Without any fat, the texture is bound to be dry and fragile. We prefer the neutral taste of vegetable oil.

The Fruit

Dried fruit has already had most of its moisture pulled out, so exposing it to the heat of the oven is going to turn it leathery and overcooked. Save the fruit to add after cooking the other ingredients.

The Salt

Don’t skip the salt! A half teaspoon may not seem like much, but it adds essential depth of flavor, accenting both the sweet and savory, toasted elements of the granola.