There is something that has been plaguing me for about a month now, and I finally conquered it today! I know it may sound silly that a line cook with three years of culinary school can’t make a decent bowl of granola, but it is true. I have been working brunch at my restaurant, La Grande Vie, and my chef recently let me know he wanted to do a granola and fresh yogurt dish on the spring menu. Sure, no problem.
But I almost had to call a suicide hotline mid-April! Now, I might be old and don’t eat much hippie food, but I figured how hard can it be? Get some oats, add some sugar, honey, cinnamon, dried fruit and go. Turns out, it ain’t that easy, folks!
Granola, while delicious, can be tricky to make unless you know ratios and approach it with the proper cooking method. I personally did not have a good recipe, so I naturally went online—this is really what got me. Let me impart a small piece of information on to you that I WISHED I knew at the time. Almost EVERY recipe you will find for homemade granola online is wrong, mainly because of how they tell you to cook it! I had been mixing my ingredients together and cooking at a low temp, 225 degrees for about 20-30 minutes which is WAY too long. I kept achieving burned granola, hardened fruit, which is not appetizing. Instead, you need to cook it at 325 degrees for just 16 minutes.
One of the reasons I love working at The Chopping Block is that when I run into these problems, there are an array of chefs to help me. One day, when I was in the right place right time situation, one of our chefs happened to be making granola for the homemade cheese making class. I just about attacked her asking advice and got a full on tutorial, which I will pass on to you so you can also enjoy this lovely treat in the upcoming warmer weather.
First, heat up your oil, honey and sugar first, then add it to your oats before baking. I was adding these ingredients without heat which was causing my granola to burn because the sugar was in the oven for a long period of time.
Second, bake it only for 8 minutes at 325 degrees, give it a stir, then back in the oven for another 8 minutes. As you can see, I was cooking it WAY too long.
Lastly, if you add fruit or chocolate, this should be done after the baking process, then let it cool, give it a stir and you are on your way to wonderful granola. Try the recipe below out, experiment with ingredients and share your favorite flavor combinations here. Happy granola making!
Homemade Granola
4 cups oats
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup nuts
½ cup brown sugar
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup dried fruit and or chocolate
Here are a few tips when sitting down to create this culinary experience.
Another point to consider is how the food will be presented or consumed. You may not want to serve up a plate of sauce covered bbq ribs, no matter how delicious. Going for a dish that can be eaten using a knife and fork will be a better choice. Stay away from foods which require using your hands as utensils. I suggest selecting one main protein, whether that’s a nice sautéed chicken breast or delicate piece of fish. Try paring that with a simple pasta dish or rice. A nice alternative to pasta or rice would be quinoa.
The part of the meal that may send the most fear through you is dessert. A lot of unnecessary pressure can be placed on creating the “perfect” dessert, but as long as you can follow basic instructions, creating a fabulous finale will a breeze. At The Chopping Block, we have a fantastic, very basic Molten Chocolate Cake which is a great option. The final piece of the puzzle is wine. If you are unaware of your partner’s favorite vintage, I suggest selecting a universal wine that will easily accompany any menu you choose to go with. Two examples of easily pared wines are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
I know, I know! You sound like my mother! Anyway, I did just discover it, and I was VERY pleased with the results. I was able to make some of the most delicious cookies I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. These delightful little treats were super easy to make as soon as I added the assistance of the mixer. This may have just changed my life forever. Who knows what I can make next? The possibilities are endless! My own whipped cream perhaps?!
Chocolate Toffee Cookies