Maple-baked granola

This is a good 'blueprint granola' – follow the basic premise then add nuts and dried fruits of your choosing. Will store in an airtight container for two weeks

Prep:15 mins
Cook:35 mins

Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 121
fat 6g
saturates 1g
carbs 12g
sugars 6g
fibre 2g
protein 3g
salt 0g

Ingredients

300g four-grain porridge mix(containing oat, wheat, barley and rice flakes), or a multi-grain porridge mix of your choice
50g crispy malted wheat flakes
50g crispy spelt flakes
50g each pecans, walnuts and unblanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped
150g mixed seeds(we used a pumpkin, sunflower & seame mix)
15g hemp seeds(optional)
225ml maple syrup
4 tbsp hazelnut or walnut oil
100g dried apples, chopped
75g dried cranberries
75g dried sour cherries

Method

Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Line two large roasting tins (or one and cook in batches) with baking parchment. Put the porridge mix and all the flakes, nuts and seeds in a bowl and mix them together.
Put the maple syrup and oil in a big heavy-bottomed saucepan and gently heat. Add the grain mixture and stir until all the dry ingredients are coated – you are not cooking the mixture, just coating it. Spread the cereal over the parchment (it shouldn’t lie in big clumps) and bake for about 20 mins.
Remove the tins from the oven, turn the temperature up to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, then return to the oven, swapping the tins over. Cook for another 10 mins, but keep an eye on things. You want a golden toasted mixture – you may even start to smell some caramelisation – but don’t take it too far.
Take the tins out of the oven and leave to cool. Break the granola up into small chunks with your hands and add the dried fruit. Will keep well in an airtight container for two weeks. You can ‘refresh’ it by putting it all in the oven again (at 160C/140C/gas 3) for 15 mins. Eat with milk or yogurt and fresh fruit.