Gourmet Granola

I used to make granola frequently—as in, every week—preferring to control the sweetness and the mix of ingredients myself versus buying the commercial versions. Not to mention that commercial granola can get quite pricey, while the cost to make it yourself is minimal.

As usual, I looked at several recipes and took the best of each. I varied what I added to the mix each time, but I always started with: 

4 cups of rolled oats

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup sweetener (usually a mix of dark maple syrup and honey; sometimes brown sugar)

vanilla and/or cinnamon

a mix of dried fruits, nuts and seeds, and/or coconut

I baked the granola for 2 hours at 200°, having read somewhere that it was better to dry out the granola as opposed to baking and risking a burnt taste. 

And it was fine. It never got very brown; it never came together in those yummy crunchy clusters—it was more like museli. But it was tasty and satisfying.

It's been several months since I made granola last; this time I decided to up the oil content to see if that would make it hold together better and make it all crispy-crunchy. I went about preparing it as usual, but when I went to the spice shelf for the cinnamon, Chinese five-spice powder caught my eye. And I thought, why not? And then I thought, what if granola were a savory food instead of a sweet one? So I upped the salt and even added a little cayenne for kick.

With the additional oil it didn't look like it would "dry out" the same way, so I upped the temperature as well. And what did I get? A truly gourmet, unusual concoction that's a great way to start a sluggish morning. It's also highly addictive—just try to resist grabbing a handful as you pass by.

Five-Spice Granola

© 2008 Mallory McCreary/SnobbyAvocado.com

The basics:

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)

1/2 cup raw slivered almonds

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup canola oil

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup dark maple syrup (the real stuff, please)

The additions:

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 cup raisins (or cranberries, cherries, apricots, or other dried fruit)

1/4 cup roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds

Preheat oven to 350°.

Mix oats, almonds, and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk oil, honey, syrup, five-spice powder, and cayenne until well combined. Pour over oat mixture and stir well until all oats are coated. Pour onto a foil-lined and greased or Silpat-lined baking pan and cook about 50 minutes or until brown, checking every 10 minutes or so and stirring (especially the edges) to prevent burning.

Mix in raisins or other dried fruit and sunflower seeds. Cool and store in an airtight container to preserve freshness.