Honeyed Hazelnut Granola

Breakfast and I aren’t the best of friends. The most I can really be bothered with cooking in the morning is porridge, but I’d really prefer to not cook at all. In an effort to make breakfast a little more exciting than toast or porridge I decided to whip up a batch of granola with flavours that I wouldn’t see on the shelf at the store. I adore hazelnuts and feel they don’t get as much love as they should these days outside of Nutella. I don’t like things too sweet in the morning so I have dried currants here for a bit of tartness, but you can use raisins if you prefer. Dried cranberries also work well if you can’t find currants. Cardamom might be my favourite spice, especially for sweeter things and I think it pairs so well with the hazelnut. The whole effect is really cosy. This is my preferred ratio for nuts and currants, feel free to use more or less as you desire.

Honey pairs incredibly well with hazelnuts but feel free to use another sweetener if need be! Maple syrup would work well but will obviously impart its own flavour, agave nectar would be a more neutral option. Either of these can be swapped one-to-one in place of the honey. If your honey is on the thicker side or as crystallised, place your sealed jar in a bowl of warm water for about 2-3 minutes and then stir to thin it out, placing the container back in the warm water for more time if needed.

Hazelnuts are rather perishable so do store this in an airtight container and use it within a week (which should be no trouble!). Use it to top your morning yoghurt, with milk, or even on frozen yoghurt or ice cream.

Makes about 5 cups of granola, about about 10 servings.

Ingredients:

2 cups (240g) rolled oats

¼ cup (60ml) canola oil (or another neutral oil)

¼ cup (60ml) honey (or maple syrup or agave nectar)

The seeds of 7-8 green cardamom pods, ground in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder (or ½ tsp ground cardamom)

Pinch of salt

½ cup (120g) whole blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped

⅓ cup (50g) dried currants

1. Preheat your oven to 300F (150C)

2. Place oats and hazelnuts into a mixing bowl, and in a separate bowl combine the oil, honey, cardamom, and salt.

3. Pour the oil-honey mixture over the oats and hazelnuts and stir to coat everything thoroughly.

4. Pour the mixture into a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and flatten with a spatula or wooden spoon. Place into the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

5. After 10 minutes stir granola and return to the oven to bake for an additional 10 minutes.

6. Take the tray of granola and set on a wire rack to cool. While the granola is still warm sprinkle the currants over it and tamp down with your utensil to create clumps. More tamping will equal more clumps.

7. Let the granola cool completely before storing in an airtight container.