My granola-making efforts are largely for my daughter who, eating grilled kimcheese as happily as waffles or pancakes, is much more egalitarian in her breakfast food choices than me. I favour savoury breakfasts and will rarely eat granola except if feeling “hormonal” and in need of something sweet to nibble on. This is currently top of my list. I am loving the crunch of the grains and nuts and the slightly soft and chewy tang of fresh garden apple. Not quite a bar of chocolate or tray of cookies but it will do for most of the time.
I wish I could say I was inspired to make this granola after being hit on the head by a falling apple, a la Newton. My inspiration was much more pedestrian. I was merely collecting the wind-fall apples littering my garden and thought, “a ha, granola.” I guess that was a eureka moment of sorts because I acted on it immediately, racing into the kitchen and corralling the simple ingredients onto the worktop. My other “a ha” moment was remembering the pots and sachets of organic 100% fruit puree I had recently been sent from Clearspring. I had a hunch that I could use them instead of added sugar in the granola. My hunch proved correct. 
However, my idea of sweet is probably divergent to the vast majority of humankind. Dark chocolate is plenty sweet for me. Yes, I am a bit of a weirdo. So, that being acknowledged, do feel free to add extra sweetness, shown as options in the recipe. You will still get a compelling tang from the fresh apple in amongst the usual and expected sweet. Rachel being a normal person, and not like her Mum, wanted the granola a bit sweeter so I added a touch of sucanat and sorghum molasses, the latter smuggled in from my last trip home to Florida. Dark treacle will do.
Have you had any recent “eureka” moments in the kitchen, or garden?
Slow-Baked Apple Pie Granola
The slow-bake is key to this Apple Pie Granola. Because of the moisture content of both the fresh apple and the fruit puree, the granola needs the ‘tlc’ of a lower temperature and a longer bake. Once pulled from the oven you will be rewarded with an intensely fruity cereal that’s perfect for eating straight off the tray, topped with milk, stirred into yogurt, or even as a topping for a no-bake crumble with stewed fruit.
I have included optional added sugar in case the fruit and/or fruit puree isn’t sweet enough for those who may be eating the granola. Or, you could leave it out and let others add sweetener to taste.
1 tbsp + 1 tsp neutral oil or coconut oil – divided use
1 small apple or pear, cored and small dice
100g apple or pear puree OR smooth unsweetened applesauce {I used Clearspring Organic Fruit Puree}
2 tbsp raw sugar – optional
1 tbsp sorghum molasses, date syrup, dark treacle or honey – optional
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground clove or nutmeg
50g nuts and seeds
100g barley or rye flakes {or oats}
100g whole oats
1. Preheat the oven to 140C; line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Toss the apple pieces with the 1/2 tsp of oil.
3. Heat the sugar, and syrup {if using}, fruit puree and remaining oil in a medium-sized saucepan until liquid. Sprinkle in the spices and fold in the grains and nuts/seeds. Mix well.
4. Tumble onto the lined baking tray and top with the diced apple or pear.
5. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every fifteen minutes. Cool on the tray and decant into a storage container. Use within seven days.
Note: Because of the inherent moisture content of this way of baking granola, I don’t recommend making a bigger batch as it will go soft. But if you chose to do this in a dehydrator then go ahead and make as big a batch as you like!
Disclosure: I was given some products to try by Clearspring, but was neither paid nor expected to write about them. I only feature products I actually use and love on food to glow. Always.
