I feel like I have already done quite a bit of testing this year, and a lot of it was leveraging outside providers, like dragon boating with the german association, taking a singing class, crafting leather, and more....
Since I also barely recovered from a hectic CNY trip to Vietnam, and I almost feel I'm on the verge of burn out and an overdose of tests, it is a good time to experiment something in the comfort of my home....
I have heard of homemade granola through my friend Alexandra (thanks! ;), and since I love a solid and hearty breakfast, this has been in the to do list for a long time...
First of all, you need the ingredients. Luckily, there is a gem of a chain of stores in Singapore, named Phoon Huat, that caters to enthusiastic bakers, amateur and professionals alike, with an immense selection of baking goods and tools. They even have a dozen locations across the island, and there is one at a walking distance from my home.
After making my list following a recipe online, I went shopping at Phoon Huat. Well, it was quite an experience in itself, as I discovered a world of tools and a selection of products I had never seen before.
I even found a big box of my beloved Soignon goat cheese and pastry bases! OK, these are frozen items, but the price is unbeatable and I will get to make nice vegetable tarts and quiches.
I did not go too crazy and stuck with the basics for this first trial.
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| Plastic jars, sultanas, chocolate chips, almonds, oats, sunflower seeds, caramel & maple syrup, honey... |
In total, only $3 for the plastic jars, and S$65 of ingredients: Oats, diced Almonds, Sunflower seeds, Sultanas, Cranberries, Blueberries, Maple syrup, Honey, Caramel Syrup. I sense that this should make a good number of batches...
I put on some good rock music: Spoon, Little Dragon, Brian Eno & Karl Hyde, Liars, and started grooving and baking, feeling like an amateur Jamie Oliver.
Making Granola
First, mix the dry cereals and seeds into a bowl in the right proportions
Add those liquids you want to bake your cereals in, and stir
Stick it in the oven for about 30 minutes
Stir every 5-10 minutes, making sure the granola is as spread out as possible. The more it is in contact with the baking tray, the quicker it will turn golden, and thus, the larger the baking tray, the better.
When the cereals have reached the desired bakedness, remove from oven and let it cool down for an hour completely, before adding your preferred fruity and sweet additions...
Since i made 2 batches, I tried two mixes
Batch 1: SuperFruity
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| SuperFruity, looking all shiny and glamorous in its jar |
Oats, Almonds, Sunflower seeds, Sultanas, Cranberries, Blueberries, Maple syrup, Honey, Sunflower Oil
Batch 2, baptized: Decadent Morning Glory
Oats, Almonds, Sunflower seeds, Sultanas, Chocolate chips, Caramel Syrup, Sunflower Oil |
| Ta-Da! Super Decadent Caramel roasted, Chocolate Chips Granola with Raisins |
Results and tasting notes
My personal preference goes yet to the Decadent version, which almost burned in the oven, but developed a more affirmed roasted flavour too.Next time, I'll need to pay extra attention to the last 10 minutes of cooking, as the roasting really accelerates at some point. Maybe I should add some more sweetness too, and get a larger baking tray for a more homogeneous roast, and less mess in the oven after stirring oats around out of a tiny pizza tray.
I will probably try again with new ingredients, such as dried mangoes and coconut slices, macadamia nuts, and more... I'm also thinking that I should add some cut fruits or those french classic preserved abricots and pruneaux d'Agen, just before eating this granola.
Well that was a really good test, and a tasty one at that ;-)
See you next week for week 11
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