Almond, Coconut and Dried Fruit Granola

Almond, Coconut and Dried Fruit Granola

This recipe was adapted from The Tassajara Recipe Book by Edward Espe Brown.

Ingredients:

4 cups rolled oats
1 cup cracked wheat
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup flaked or shredded unsweetened coconut
3 cups chopped almonds
3 cups sunflower seeds (raw, unsalted)
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sunflower oil
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup malt syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups dried fruit, chopped

Method:

Heat the oven to 325.

Place oats, wheat, wheat germ, coconut, almonds and sunflower seeds in a large mixing bowl and stir to mix.

Melt the butter in a 2 cup glass measuring cup in the microwave or in a small sauce pan on the stove. Add to the melted butter, sunflower oil, honey, malt syrup, vanilla and almond extracts, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Heat slightly so that the mixture is thin enough to mix easily into the dry ingredients. Stir well.

Pour the oil and sweetener mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well with a large spoon ensuring that all of the dry ingredients are coated with the oil and sweetener.

Turn the mixture into a large roasting pan and spread evenly into the pan. Place the pan in the oven and roast for 30 – 45 minutes, stirring the mixture every 10 minutes to ensure even toasting. It is done when it turns a golden brown.

Allow the granola to cool in the roasting pan, stirring every few minutes to keep the granola from clumping.