Granola – How to Make It, How to Enjoy It

Many years ago I spent a few weeks in Greece where I became absolutely besotted with their delicious yogurt served with honey and frequently with nuts. After returning home I sometimes craved it even more than chocolate!!!

Since this revelation Greek yogurt and honey became a regular breakfast for me and normally, but not always, I serve it with granola instead of or as well as nuts.

Basic Granola Recipe

This is a very simple yet flexible way to make granola which can be varied substantially. I have made it with honey, with maple syrup and occasionally with a flavoured syrup, of which, so far, my favourite is caramel syrup with maybe a pinch of crunchy seas salt stirred in as it is cooling.

~   Preheat oven to 160ºC/325°F/140ºC fan/gas 3.
~   Thoroughly mix together the ingredients and spread on a baking tray.
~ After about 20 minutes stir the granola (unless you’d prefer big clumps of granola in which
case just break it into pieces after cooking and cooling).
~   Bake till darkened in colour to a golden brown, a further 15 to 20 minutes.
~   Remove from the oven and cool on the baking tray – it will crisp up as it cool.
~ When completely and utterly cold transfer to an airtight container.
~ Store in a dark, dry place away from heat. and it will be fine for about 2 weeks. You will
probably have eaten it by then!

Great Granola Additions

Make granola your own by adding pretty well whatever you fancy.

Add to granola before baking …

~ Nuts – almonds, pecans (especially if you make your granola with maple syrup), cashews,
walnuts etc., coarsely chopped. Don’t use roasted nuts, add these after baking.
~ Seeds – sunflower, pumpkin and so on, but not roasted.
~ A drip or two of vanilla extract
~ A pinch of spice – cinnamon or ginger are good
~ Coconut flakes (it is best to add these halfway through the baking so that they don’t burn)

Add to granola after baking (or to bought in granola) …

~ Any of the above apart from vanilla extract, to add vanilla at this point you need a vanilla
grinder or, I’ve just thought, you could keep a vanilla pod in with the granola.
~ Dried fruit – raisins, sultanas, currants, cranberries or chopped up apricots, pineapple,
apples or dates.
~ Roasted nuts or seeds.
~ Lumps of chocolate.
~ Grated orange or lemon zest.

Handy Hints

~   For extra crispiness replace 2 tablespoons of the oil or butter with one egg white whisked
till foamy.
~   Granola should not be stored in the fridge, it will soften it. Oddly enough it can be frozen in
an airtight container with as little space as possible, probably a well squeezed plastic bag is
best. It can be frozen for three months. Thaw overnight. If you have the option best not to
have dried fruit in the mix as they may harden in the freezer, add them after thawing. If it
can’t be helped then just chew harder!

Ways to Use Granola

Always having granola in the house, I do use it all sorts of other ways too, such as these …

Sprinkle it on …

~   Porridge/oatmeal, maybe grits (whatever they are!).
~   Toast topped with butter, honey, maple syrup, peanut butter or whatever.
~   Fruit fools.
~ Fresh fruit.
~   A glazed or iced cake – press gently so it stays in place.
~ Pancakes after drizzling the honey, maple syrup or whatever delicious pancake topping
you favour.
~ Ice cream or in a sundae. Speaking of which .sprinkle granola on top of ..

Greek Yogurt & Honey Ice Cream

This ice cream has a strange quenching quality, like having a long cold drink when thirsty and is very good with granola! Please don’t be put off by its simplicity, this is a method of making ice cream that I have used for so many, many years, it is no churn, egg free, quick, easy, versatile and makes truly luscious ice cream. I have even written a book about it ~ Luscious Ice Cream without a Machine.

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