CURIOUSLY CELESTE: food

Review: Dainty Sichuan Box Hill

2:49 pm

Chunky Hazelnut Maple Granola

9:00 am

Who doesn't like a bowl of homemade granola in the morning to get you through the day? Or picking out the big chunky bits in the afternoon when you're feeling hungry? This recipe will answer all your breakfast/brunch/snack cravings. I'm a big fan of Deb Perelman's blog Smitten Kitchen, and after reading about her book and it's hidden gemstones of a recipe inside, I had to make myself a bit (or maybe several large jar fulls) of granola.

It must be an American-thing to call granola, granola. A little search from wikipedia has told me that "the names Granula and Granola were registered trademarks in the late 19th century United States for foods consisting of whole grain products crumbled and then baked until crisp". In Australia I've known it as toasted museli as long as I've known this addictive breakfast food to have existed.

Granola or toasted museli, whatever it may be called in your part of the world. This particular recipe is a big winner for me, it ticks all the boxes in terms of what I like in granola.

Chunky bits for me to pick out
Not too sweet
Not soggy
No fruit (well, I've removed it to suit my preferences)

I'm not sure why, but those big clumpy, chunky bits that you can pick out are a favourite afternoon snack of mine when I come home from work. I've tried other recipes before, but they just don't cut it in terms of chunky-clumpy-ness. I've omitted the dried fruit, and replaced it with lots of nuts and seeds, but if you're the dried fruit type, just add it in once your granola has been toasted and cooled. Essentially, add what you like to make your taste buds leap for joy with every bite.

Armed with a few tips from Deb's Big Cluster Maple Granola and Food52's How to Get Clumps in Your Granola, I set about creating my breakfast and snack for the next few weeks. Just look at those big clumps, perfectly sized to pop into your mouth when you're looking for a snack.

The biggest secret in chunky clumpy granola is the egg white. *smacks hand to forehead* Of course, the humble egg white has come to the rescue with it's protein binding properties. Not mixing the granola as it's baking is also another tip. However, if you like your granola to be clump-free and more cereal like, then feel free to mix away throughout the baking process, and omit the egg white.

Chunky Hazelnut Maple Granola

Ingredients

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ (or oat bran)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup (or increase to a cup if a sweeter granola is preferred) maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg white
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

Additional Add Ons

Toasted coconut shards or shredded coconut
Dried fruit - cranberries, sultanas, dried apple
Other nuts - macadamias, pecans

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 150 degrees C. Combine all ingredients except the egg white and optional dried fruit in a large bowl, tossing to coat evenly. Whisk the egg white in a small bowl until frothy. Pour over the granola mixture, mix well to combine. Spread it in a single layer on a baking paper lined baking tray or cookie tray.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. About halfway through baking time, use a large spatula to turn over sections of the granola carefully, breaking them up as little as possible. Rotate the pan if granola is baking unevenly. When it is evenly browned and feels dry to the touch, transfer the pan from the oven to the cooling rack. Cool completely and do not move it around! Once it’s completely cool, break up granola into whatever size clusters delight you. Sprinkle in your optional dried fruit.
Granola keeps at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 weeks. If it'll last that long!