Overview
I love muesli, but I like it to be toasted (which I believe is what makes it granola). I’m not too keen on lots of raisins/cranberries/sultanas, really love some fruits (especially dates!), not so sure about honey… it’s just easier to make my own! Making my own also means I get away with calling Apricot Delight a fruit.
If you are missing an ingredient, just substitute something else in. No need to be too precise in measuring either. I usually make a double batch and vacuum seal the extra. Lately, I’ve been making 4x this recipe (set aside the whole day!) and omitting the fruit, so it stores much better.
Serve for breakfast with milk or yoghurt, or as a snack, either plain, sprinkled on fruit salad or with yoghurt. Or bake in slabs and use as muesli bars.
Time
25 minutes per batch in the oven, mixing halfway through. There are about 4 batches in the single recipe.
Dry ingredients:
8 cups oats
1 ½ cups bran (or wheatgerm)
1 cup hazelnut meal
3/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup flaked almonds
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup blanched hazelnuts
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup LSA mix
½ cup psyllium
Wet ingredients:
½ cup brown sugar
1 ½ ts salt
1 cup maple syrup
½ cup apple puree
½ cup vegetable oil
1 TB+ ground cinnamon
1 TB vanilla extract
Dried fruit, chopped:
1 ½ cups raisins/sultanas
¾ cup dried apricots
1 cup dried apple
1 cup dried dates
Optional: yoghurt covered sultanas
Optional: chopped apricot delight
Optional: chopped dried pineapple
Optional: dried fruit medley etc…
Method
Preheat oven to 165° C
1 – Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl (or bread tub)
2 – Combine all wet ingredients in a saucepan and heat until just boiling
3 – Add wet mix to dry ingredients and mix well
4 – Line a baking tray (with sides) with Glad Bake and add 5 heaped ladel-fulls of the granola mix (7 scoops in the large trays). Bake for 13 minutes, stir and bake for another 12 minutes or until starting to dry. Repeat until all has been baked.
5 – Allow granola to cool before adding the chopped fruit
6 – Store in air-tight containers or vacuum seal for longer-term storage