The Gift of Granola

Homemade granola (sorry, the store was all out of caviar).
This gift is also for my Minnesota cousin-in-law Karin Norby, who made a special request for the recipe for this wholesome mixture of grains and seeds (I promise, it tastes better than it sounds).
As I’ve done for the last few years, this holiday I made a big batch of my special granola mix to give out to those I love. I figure that there are enough cookies, fruit cakes and bourbon balls going around (OK, there are never enough bourbon balls…) that granola might be a welcome addition to the mix. I’ve also always thought that the store-bought kind is way overpriced, and as my friend Ayana noted, many varieties are “full of crap”.
Mine, I’m happy to report, is crap-free.
This recipe is also inspired by one of my favorite cookbooks: Rose Bakery: Breakfast-Lunch-Tea, which is a collection of recipes by Rose Carrarini from her famed Rose Bakery in Paris (Karin: add this place to the top of your Paris must-visit list!) I wrote lovingly about the second Rose Bakery last spring, after I had visited with my mom and Belle (here’s a flashback for those of you who may have missed that post.)
Unfortunately, the book seems to be harder to find now, but if you stumble across a copy then I think it’s worth purchasing for your collection.
I’ve adapted the recipe over the years, and you can too, adding or subtracting a dried fruit depending on your taste.
The most important thing is to make sure your granola is very dry by the end of the process, but at the same time that it doesn’t burn during the oven baking portion of your recipe. I buy all of the ingredients in bulk from Whole Foods, but I’m sure you can find them at any health food store or some supermarkets.

Recipe for HONEY GRANOLA (adapted from Rose Bakery)
(this makes enough for 6 portions, I quadruple the recipe to make enough for about 20-30 bags)
-5 1/2 cups rolled oats
-1 1/3 cups whole almonds
-2/3 cup sunflower seeds
-3/4 cup pumpkin seeds
-1/3 cup sesame seeds
-1/2 cup sunflower oil
-1 cup honey

-1/4 cup light brown sugar (this is optional, since the honey and dried fruit also add sweetness)

-a few drops of vanilla

-1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon

-1/2 tsp of salt

-1 cup of dried fruit (I like cranberries, if they’re moist and fresh, but you can also use golden raisins, apricots, whatever you like)

-1/4 cup dried coconut

Preheat the oven to 325.
In a bowl, mix together oats, almonds, and all the seeds.
In a saucepan, pour in the oil, honey, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt along with 1/2 cup of water.
Bring honey mixture just to a boil, stirring constantly, then pour over dry ingredients in the bowl and mix to coat well. (This is a good job for the family, especially if you’re making a big batch and need muscle for all that stirring).
If the mixture seems too wet (there should be no excess liquid at the bottom of the bowl) then add more oats. The mixture should be just sticky.

Spread granola out evenly on baking tray and bake slowly for one hour.
Make sure to check frequently for burning, and it’s also good to give it a stir so that the granola on the bottom and closest to the pan gets circulated.
After an hour, reduce heat to 275 and continue baking for another hour, until it is golden, making sure to keep checking on it and stirring throughout.
Switch off oven and if you can, leave to dry overnight.
When the mixture is cool, stir in your dried fruit.
Enjoy with yogurt or however you like.
*added bonus for those with kids: Conor really liked dumping all of the dry ingredients together, and mixing the seeds–so feel free to invite them to granola-making party.
And make sure to put a little aside for your own breakfast!
XOXO Caroline