I've been making my own granola for several years now. I always found store bought granola too sweet and I like to control what I eat. I started with a traditional recipe that included oil, sugar and raisins. It's evolved into a much simpler and healthier cereal.
This recipe does not form the traditional clusters we've come to expect with granola. Instead the crunch is provided by lots of nuts, and the chew by dried fruit.
It's sweetened with Grade B maple syrup and local honey.
If you would like oat clusters, just add a beaten egg white for every 4 cups of oats before roasting.
Feel free to add any nut, dried fruit or seed you enjoy.
Watch my Granola Video for cooking instruction
8 cups oats
1 cup sweetened dried coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup grade B maple syrup
1/2 cup honey
1 cup diced dried figs
1 cup diced dried apricots
1 cup dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix together oats, coconut and nuts in a large heavy gauge roasting pan.
Pour in the honey and maple syrup and mix well.
Place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. At this point give the granola a good stir, paying close attention to the sides and bottom of the pan.
Return the pan to the oven and roast another 10 minutes, at this point the granola should be golden. If not, stir well and return to the oven for another 5 minutes but watch it closely, it can scorch easily.
Once the granola is finished roasting, stir in the dried fruit.
The granola will keep several weeks in an air tight container.All recipes and photographs are property of The Gypsy Chef unless otherwise noted.
I am totally addicted to Starbucks "Maple Oat Scones". At one time they were available everywhere. I had my friends and family eating them in New York, Los Angeles and Delaware. Now they are only available in the Starbucks Shop on the corner of Powell and O'Farrell in San Francisco. Why is that? Isn't everyone storming the store demanding a Maple Oat Scone? Honestly, I just don't understand it.
When I'm in San Francisco, I wake up at 4:30 AM and walk 2 blocks to buy a Grande Coffee of the day and a "heaven on earth" Maple Oat Scone. It takes every bit of will power I possess not to buy two. Or a dozen for that matter.
What is it about these sweet and chewy delicacies that drives me to bid my schedule around their availability?
I've searched the internet for recipes, played with a few and this is what I've come up with. This recipe is a little lighter and more moist than the original.
Maple Oat Scones
1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon real maple syrup
1 large egg
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup oat bran flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
For the Glaze:
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place oven rack in center of oven.
Spread oats and walnuts on a sheet pan and toast in the oven until fragrant and lightly colored, 5-8 minutes. You can actually smell them when they are done. Set aside to cool. Reserve 3 tablespoons of oat, nut mixture.
Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Whisk milk, egg and 1/4 cup maple syrup in a large measuring cup until blended.
Place flour, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 3 times to blend. Add butter to bowl and pulse several times until the dough resembles coarse meal.
Turn the dough out into a large bowl, stir in the cooled oat nut mixture. Stir in the milk mixture until the dough comes together.Dust the work surface with 1/2 the reserved oat, nut mixture. Turn the dough out onto the surface. Dust dough with remaining oats and nuts. Pat into a 7 inch circle about 1 inch thick. 
Using a bench scraper cut the dough into 8 wedges, move them to the parchment lined baking sheet and place about 1-2 inches apart.
Brush with reserved 1 tablespoon maple syrup and sprinkle with one tablespoon sugar. Bake until golden brown, 12-14 minutes. Gently move the parchment paper onto a wire rack and let scones cool to room temperature.
For the glaze, whisk 3 tablespoons of maple syrup and 1/2 cup confectioners sugar until smooth. Spoon glaze over scones.
All text and photographs are the sole property of The Gypsy Chef.
I've been making my own granola for several years now. I always found store bought granola too sweet and I like to control what I eat. I started with a traditional recipe that included oil, sugar and raisins. It's evolved into a much simpler and healthier cereal.
This recipe does not form the traditional clusters we've come to expect with granola. Instead the crunch is provided by lots of nuts, and the chew by dried fruit.
It's sweetened with Grade B maple syrup and local honey.
If you would like oat clusters, just add a beaten egg white for every 4 cups of oats before roasting.
Feel free to add any nut, dried fruit or seed you enjoy.
Watch my Granola Video for cooking instruction
Pour in the honey and maple syrup and mix well.
Place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. At this point give the granola a good stir, paying close attention to the sides and bottom of the pan.
Return the pan to the oven and roast another 10 minutes, at this point the granola should be golden. If not, stir well and return to the oven for another 5 minutes but watch it closely, it can scorch easily.
Once the granola is finished roasting, stir in the dried fruit.
The granola will keep several weeks in an air tight container.
