Apricot and Almond Granola
This is a great granola recipe as it is, but of course you can customise it to your liking. Choose whichever blend of nuts and seeds you like and, once cool, add your favourite dried fruits. Personally, I like to allow one fruit and one nut to dominate, rather than have a total free-for-all. You might think along such lines as dried cherry and walnut, or prune and hazelnut, or possibly dried fig. Makes 8-10 servings.
Method
Preheat the oven to 150°C/Gas 2 and line two lipped baking sheets with baking parchment.
Put the oats, nuts, seeds, salt and brown sugar in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the oil and mix well to distribute it evenly, then pour on the apple juice and mix it in thoroughly – I find the easiest way to do this is with my hands.
Spread the mixture out on the baking sheets. Bake for 50–60 minutes, giving it a stir halfway through, then leave to cool and crisp up.
Once completely cool and crisp, stir in the dried apricots. Store the granola in an airtight container; it will keep for at least 2 weeks.
Serving suggestions
Serve with a little milk or, as I prefer, a couple of good spoonfuls of natural River Cottage yoghurt or kefir.
Ingredients
350g porridge oats (or jumbo oat flakes)
150g almonds (skin on), very coarsely chopped
150g pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, or a mix
A pinch of salt (optional)
100g soft brown sugar
50ml rapeseed oil
100ml cloudy apple juice
150g unsulphured ready-to-eat dried apricots, roughly chopped
This recipe is taken from...
If you like this recipe, you might like the following course...
River Cottage Four Day Cookery Course
The ultimate River Cottage experience. A four-day cookery course covering fish, meat, vegetables and bread with Hugh F-W and the River...
Full details