1 post tagged “granola breakfast bars”
I used Alton Brown's recipe, cutting back on the butter and sugar. My substitutions are in brackets.
Ingredients-
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds ( I used green pumpkin seeds- love the flavor)
1 cup sliced almonds ( A mixture of crushed almonds and walnuts)
1/2 cup wheat germ ( Wheat bran)
1/2 cup honey ( 1/4 cup)
1 3/4 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 1/4 cup packed ( 1 ounce)
1 ounce unsalted butter, plus extra for pan ( about a tsp)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 ounces chopped dried fruit, any combination of apricots, cherries or blueberries (raisins and cranberries)
* I also added 1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut
- Butter a 9 by 9-inch glass baking dish and set aside ( I used a silicone loaf pan). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spread the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, and wheat germ
(and coconut) onto a sheet pan. Place in the oven and toast for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.- Combine the honey, brown sugar, butter, extract and salt in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook until the brown sugar has completely dissolved.
- Remove the oat mixture from the oven and reduce the heat to 300 degrees F. Immediately add the oat mixture to the liquid mixture, add the dried fruit, and stir to combine.
- Turn mixture out into the prepared baking dish and press down. Place in the oven to bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container for up to a week.
One reviewer suggested using a bigger pan ( 9x13) to reduce crumbling. I ended up using a smaller loaf pan (This was before I'd read the reviews). With the reduced butter and sugar, my bars had a slim chance of staying whole.
We layered the granola with berry yogurt for dessert.
