Granola Recipe

Granola always starts with oats, in this case, old fashioned rolled oats. These are oats which are cleaned, toasted, and hulled to become what we call oat groats. If you are wondering what the difference between old-fashioned rolled oats and quick cooking, it is in their thickness. Old fashioned oats are thicker because to make quick-cooking rolled oats the oat groats are first cut into pieces before being steamed and flattened. Although they are usually interchangeable in recipes I recommend using old-fashioned rolled oats in this recipe as I prefer their thicker texture and better flavor.

Besides oats, a granola needs nuts and seeds. This recipes uses whole raw almonds and raw pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Of course, there are many other types of nuts and seeds to choose from, so go ahead and use your favorites. Once all the dry ingredients are mixed together, they are coated in a sweet mixture of applesauce, rice syrup, honey, brown sugar, oil, salt and ground cinnamon. This recipe comes from Nigella Lawson's 'Feast' cookbook and I really like how this mixture gives the granola a sweet yet crunchy texture. Once made, the granola is then spread on two large baking sheets, and baked in a moderate oven until golden brown. Turn the granola frequently so it browns evenly, and be sure to watch it carefully towards the end of baking, as it burns quite easily. It is also important to cool the granola completely before storing in an airtight container as you do not want it to lose its wonderful crispy texture.