Bake with Michelle Darmody: Honey baked granola
It is tasty, nutritious and very versatile.
You can pack as much nuts, seeds and dried fruit in as you like. The recipe included here uses honey but maple syrup is a lovely alternative and I like using peanut butter for added nuttiness.
Adding a handful desiccated coconut is also very tasty. I add it the same time as the nuts so it gets partly toasted.
There are lots of benefits to making your own granola —it is cheaper than any shop bought one and you know exactly what went into it.
There is the added bonus of having the house smelling of toasting oats and honey for an evening. Once the weighing is done, it is quick to make, it just takes a bit of time to toast in the oven, a slow bake on a low heat is key.
The granola needs to be completely cool before packing it away in a jar or airtight tin.
If you line your tray with parchment it makes for easier transfer into a jar. Make a funnel out of the end of the paper and gently pour.
Granola can also be added to desserts. The simplest use is with some fruit compote and sweetened yogurt for a healthy after-dinner treat.
A handful can be added to muffins for a bit of extra crunch or added to chocolate chip cookie dough before rolling.
Honey Nut Granola
50g honey
100g olive oil — weight it as it is quicker
100g peanut butter
½tsp sea salt
1tsp vanilla essence
400g porridge oats
100g hazelnuts, chopped
100g peanuts, chopped
100g pumpkin seeds
100g sunflower seeds
Preheat the oven to 160C and line a large baking tray with parchment.
Melt the honey, oil and peanut butter in a saucepan with 50mls of boiling water. Add the vanilla and salt.
Sir the liquid mixture into the oats until they are completely coated.
Spread mixture on a baking tray and place into the oven. Stir the top layer every 15 minutes. After half an hour add the hazelnuts and peanuts and break up any of the larger chunks. Leave in the oven until all the oats are golden and the nuts lightly toasted. Stir the top layer every 15 minutes.
Once toasted, stir through the seeds. Cool and store in an airtight jar.
Granola and Summer Berry Bake
350g granola
3tbs butter, melted
2 cooking apples, cored, peeled and sliced
2tbs muscavado sugar
Handful of raspberries
Handful of chopped strawberries
Preheat the oven to 170C.
Put the granola in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin then stir it into the melted butter.
Toss the apples in the brown sugar and stir in the berries. Place all of the fruit in an ovenproof dish and cover with the granola mix.
Cover the dish with tin foil and bake for half an hour. Remove the foil and bake for a further five minutes.
Serve warm with some ricotta or whipped cream.
Cranberry and Sour Cherry Bars
3tbs honey
50g muscovado sugar
100g soft butter
1tsp vanilla essence
200g porridge oats
100g sunflower seeds
50g sesame seeds
60g dried cranberries
60g dried sour cherries
Preheat the oven to 160C. Grease and line a 7in by 10in baking tin.
Heat the honey, sugar and butter until they are bubbling.
Add the vanilla and stir in the oats, completely coating them.
Stir in the seeds and dried fruit.
Press the mixture into the tin and press down lightly. Bake for 30 minutes and then allow to cool in the tin.
Cut into bars with a sharp knife.
