Low-and-Slow Pecan & Pumpkin Seed Granola
I once spent a summer weekend, with a friend, on the Suffolk coast. We walked, we chatted, we basked in the the high summer sun, we ate great food.
Part of the joy was the breakfast at our guesthouse, Corner Farm. We were seated in the glass vestibule just off the kitchen, and laid out on the table with our brewing tea were individual little Kilner jars of granola, clearly homemade granola at that. It was utterly delicious.
Buttery, crispy, oaty and gently spiced. Nothing like the rubbish you can get from the supermarket.
Three things to know. First, this is not a ‘clumpy’ granola, but rather a ‘flaky’ one, where all the ingredients remain as separate little crispy morsels. Second, the darker the honey, the darker the bake will be. Third, don’t be tempted to speed up the baking - the low-and-slow approach is what gets you these golden, toasty, oaty nutty flakes where the rich and delicate flavour of the butter has been coaxed out over the long bake time, and none of the nuts or seeds have burnt.
This recipe was kindly given to me by the owner of the guesthouse and making it is now a regular feature in my own kitchen.
PORTION SIZE
My estimates are based on an 80g portion of granola per person. This recipe will make about 1kg, which is about 12 portions.
INGREDIENTS
130g unsalted butter
130g honey (or mix of light muscovado & vanilla caster)
350g oats, rye or spelt flakes – half jumbo, half porridge
180g pecans (or swap in walnuts or almonds)
70g pumpkin seeds
1 tsp fine salt
1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp mixed spice or allspice
Extras after baking (optional)
80g chocolate chips or coconut shavings
50g chopped dried fruit
Ratios
1:1 fat : sweetener
100% dry ingredients : 43% liquid ingredients
METHOD
Melt liquids - Weigh the butter and honey directly into a saucepan; melt over a medium heat. Do not allow to bubble.
Prep oven & baking sheet - Preheat the oven to 110°C fan, 130°C regular and line a large roasting tin (one with sides) with reusable baking paper
Mix everything together - Weigh the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Pour the melted ingredients over the dry and mix well.
Bake - Spread the mixture on the baking tray and bake in the middle of the oven for 90 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes, until nicely golden. Keep an eye on it and do not let it burn – you may want to turn to encourage even browning.
Cool & Finish with extras - Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. It will dry and crisp up significantly. Once cooled completely, add your extras if you are using them. Decant into storage jar.
STORAGE
Store in an airtight jar; it keeps easily for a few months