Home Made Granola

I have a family of granola lovers and I would buy organic granola in boxes from the supermarket to indulge them. Recently, I saw a friend make granola at home - I was fascinated as I have never thought it was possible to make your own granola. The most amazing part is that it's really easy too.  

All one needs to do is to mix all the ingredients together and then toast them in the oven till its crisp and crunchy. The best part about granola is that you can put in the best ingredients (organic if possible) and its still much cheaper than store-bought, not to mention a lot healthier because you will tend to use less sugar at home. 

The best part is its absolutely delicious - a crunchy mix of oats, seeds, nuts and dried fruits, flavoured with spices and aromatic maple syrup. Making this home also means you can use good quality organic ingredients if you wish. I'll never shell out good money for the ones at the supermarket now that I have learned how to make this at home. 

Home Made Granola

A Curtis Stone Recipe

Ingredients

•  1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter (Replaced with 1/4 cup coconut oil)
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (Grade B preferred for a stronger flavour)*
• 1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup shelled pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup shelled sunflower seeds
• 1 cup whole almonds (replaced with walnuts)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup raisins

Method

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C)
• Combine the butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat and stir for 1 minute, or until the butter melts and the mixture is fragrant.
• Add the honey, maple syrup, and brown sugar and stir for 2 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a simmer.
• Spray a heavy large baking sheet with nonstick spray (I lined my tray with baking paper)
• Combine the oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and almonds in a large bowl.
• Drizzle the warm syrup over the oat mixture and toss to coat well.
• Transfer the oat mixture to the prepared baking sheet, forming an even layer.
• Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the mixture is dry.
• Stir in the cranberries and raisins and continue baking for 10 minutes, or until the granola darkens slightly. (I prefer to stir in the dried fruits after the granola is done to prevent them from burning)
• At this point, the granola will still be soft, but as it cools it will become crunchy.
• Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and cool the granola completely.
• Break the granola into small pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

*I buy my Organic Maple Syrup Grade B from iherb, which ships all over the world. You can use this code NAD207 to get a US$10 discount for your first order above US$40. 

This post is linked to Cook Like A Star, where this month's featured chef is Curtis Stone, an event organized by Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids together with co-hosts, Baby Sumo from Eat Your Heart Out and Grace from Life Can Be Simple.