Ingredients

• 300 g rolled oats
• 80 g pistachios
• 60 g almonds
• 80 g dried figs
• 60 g dried apricots
• 4 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp grape molasses
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp rose water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions

1. Prepare the oven

   Preheat your oven to 160°C and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Make sure the oven is fully heated for 8-10 minutes before baking. The parchment should lie flat without wrinkles. Do not use a higher temperature as the nuts will burn before the oats are properly toasted.

2. Prepare the nuts

   Roughly chop the pistachios and almonds into chunky pieces, leaving some whole for texture. Each piece should be about 5-7mm in size for 2-3 minutes of chopping. The nuts should have varied sizes for interesting texture. Do not chop them too finely or they will burn during baking.

3. Chop dried fruits

   Cut the dried figs and apricots into small bite-sized pieces about 8-10mm each using kitchen scissors for 3-4 minutes. The pieces should be uniform in size for even distribution. They should feel slightly sticky to touch when properly sized. Do not make them too large or they will dominate the granola texture.

4. Mix wet ingredients

   Combine honey, grape molasses, sunflower oil, rose water, vanilla extract, and salt in a large mixing bowl over low heat for 2-3 minutes until warm and well blended. The mixture should be smooth and fragrant with a golden color. Do not let it boil or the honey will become bitter.

5. Combine dry ingredients

   Add oats, chopped nuts, and cinnamon to the warm honey mixture and stir thoroughly for 3-4 minutes until every oat and nut is well coated. The mixture should glisten and smell aromatic with no dry spots visible. Do not add the dried fruits yet as they will burn during baking.

6. First baking stage

   Spread the oat mixture evenly on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes, stirring once halfway through. The granola should turn light golden brown and smell toasted. Do not let it get dark brown or it will taste bitter.

7. Add fruits and finish

   Remove from oven, quickly stir in the chopped dried fruits, and bake for another 8-10 minutes until the granola is golden and crispy. It should sound crisp when stirred and have a beautiful amber color. Do not overbake or the fruits will become hard and chewy.

8. Cool and store

   Let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet for 20-25 minutes without stirring to allow clusters to form. It should feel crispy and break apart easily when fully cooled. Do not store while warm or it will become soggy from trapped steam.

Tips

Comments (0)