HOLA TO GRANOLA

BURNT BUTTER, PECAN AND APPLE MIRACLE GRANOLA

“I’M NOT one for undue hyperbole,” says John, “so when I say this is a miracle recipe, please do believe me. There’s little more gleefully welcomed to a breakfast table than homemade granola, but the oven-baked variety, while so simple, is a little timeconsuming. This is made within a matter of minutes, and the seeds and dried fruit can be adjusted to suit personal tastes.

“If you’re vegan, you could substitute the butter with coconut oil, but I much prefer burning the butter to get that caramelised hit.

“When made, this will keep in an airtight tub for weeks – if you ensure the hole in the jar is small enough to restrict pilfering handfuls.”

INGREDIENTS (Serves 10)

200g jumbo porridge oats; 70g pecans, roughly chopped; 70g pumpkin seeds; 70g buckwheat; 60g unsalted butter; 60g maple syrup; 60g light brown muscovado sugar; 100g dried apple, roughly chopped; ½tsp ground cinnamon

METHOD

1. Preheat a large frying pan over a high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the oats and toast, tossing frequently, for a minute or two.

2. Pour the oats into a bowl, return the pan to the heat and add the pecans, pumpkin seeds and buckwheat. Toast, tossing frequently, for two minutes, until everything smells wonderfully roasted and the pumpkin seeds have stopped popping violently. Pour into a separate bowl.

3. Put the pan back on the heat and add the butter, allowing it to melt and sizzle, until the sizzling stops and you have a thick foam made of fine bubbles on top – this will take a minute or two. It should be burnt, so don’t be flapping. Just throw in the syrup and sugar, and heat for a minute, stirring to combine everything well, letting them bubble together. Ensure there are no lumps of sugar. 4. Add the oats to the pan and stir to coat them really well in the sweet, caramelised butter mixture. 5. Once well-coated, allow them to cook for a minute more, stirring constantly.

6. Pour the oats onto a baking sheet and allow to cool for a few minutes. Toss with the toasted nuts, seeds and buckwheat, the dried apple and the cinnamon.

7. Once completely cool, tip into a large storage jar.