Honey Roasted Almond, Date and Coconut Granola

, from Issue #38. September, 2015
Photography by Aaron McLean.
Honey Roasted Almond, Date and Coconut Granola

This crunchy, lightly spiced granola is full of tasty seeds and dried fruit. Roasting the dates gives them a lovely chewy texture.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup honey
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup apple or orange juice
1 teaspoon each ground cinnamon and ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole, skin-on almonds, roughly chopped
¾ cup sunflower seeds
¾ cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup wheat germ
½ cup sesame seeds
¾ cup shredded coconut
1½ cups thinly sliced dates

To finish
1 cup thinly sliced apricots
½ cup dried cranberries or raisins

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 150˚C.

Put the honey, sugar, oil, juice, spices and the vanilla in a small saucepan over a low heat and warm gently to dissolve the sugar. Put all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Pour over the honey mixture and toss, making sure everything is well coated.

Spread the mixture out in an even layer on two large lined baking trays and bake for about 20 minutes, turning every five minutes, until the almonds are golden. Don’t over-brown, as the mixture will continue to darken as it cools. Reverse the trays if necessary.

Cool then stir through the apricots and cranberries. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 13 cups