For the last few years I have been sending out breakfast-in-a-bag on Purim morning as mishloach manot, the food gift that we send to one another in honor of the holiday. Consisting of a freshly baked muffin or two, yogurt, orange juice and a bag of homemade granola, it can be easily assembled with a minimal amount of advance preparation and lets family and friends know that I’m thinking of them. I can’t begin to guess how Purim is going to look this year as we are in the midst of yet another COVID-19 provincial lockdown. And that’s all the more reason to share this recipe for Big Cluster Maple Granola, by Deb Perelman, published in The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.
Big Cluster Maple Granola
Store-bought granola suffers from many shortcomings. It’s often loose and gravelly, excessively sweet, and laden with unnecessary calories because of the addition of an outrageous amount of fat. This recipe for granola is unique in that it contains a very modest amount of oil and is filled with large crunchy clusters due to the inclusion of a single egg white. The sugar in this recipe is dialed back by using maple syrup exclusively. With big satisfying crispy clumps, this granola is the perfect complement to yogurt, salads and even eaten straight out of the container (shhhh!).
Assemble your ingredients. Preheat your oven to 300 F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the rolled oats, pecans, toasted wheat germ, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. The original recipe calls for 1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut. However, in the words of the inimitable Yosemite Sam,
“I hates coconuts!”
If you like coconut, feel free to add it here. Combine the oil and maple syrup. Pour it into the bowl containing the oat and nut mixture and toss to combine the ingredients thoroughly.
Whisk the egg white in a small bowl until frothy. Stir it into the granola mixture, coating the granola mixture well. Spread it in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet to a cooling rack and allow the granola to cool completely. You will hear little crackling sounds as it cools. Once the granola is completely cool, break it up into whatever size chunks you prefer. Add in the dried fruit. The granola keeps well when stored in a airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. Put it in the freezer if you want to keep it longer.
Big Cluster Maple Granola
Big clusters of granola with a hearty crunch and a (relatively) small amount of sugar
Ingredients
- 3 cups (240 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup (50 grams) unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut (optional)
- 1 cup (100 grams) pecans, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup (25 grams) toasted wheat germ
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 large egg white
- 1 1/2 cups (215 grams) dried cherries or another dried fruit, diced if large pieces
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 300 F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the rolled oats, pecans, toasted wheat germ, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Add the shredded coconut if you have chosen to include it.
Combine the oil and maple syrup. Pour it into the bowl containing the oat and nut mixture and toss to combine the ingredients thoroughly.
Whisk the egg white in a small bowl until frothy. Stir it into the granola mixture, coating the granola mixture well. Spread it in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet to a cooling rack and allow the granola to cool completely. Once the granola is completely cool, break it up into whatever size chunks you prefer. Add in the dried fruit. The granola keeps well when stored in a airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. Put it in the freezer if you want to keep it longer.
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