Trouble Putting a Granola Recipe

Question

I have been bent backwards for the past few weeks trying to nail a piña colada granola. Now, before you come and pull my ear for it, I am not talking about those recipes out there where they make a regular granola and adding dried pineapple chunks with coconut chips and call it a day. I mean an actual piña colada flavored granola. I have tried just about everything and no avail. Just to give an insight, these are the methods I have tried so far:

- 4 oz of pineapple juice, 4 oz of coconut cream (thick) and pouring that mixture into a 4 cups of rolled oats and leaving them soaked overnight and then dehydrated them. No luck. They tasted like the coconut went bad and the pineapple flavor evaporated right out

- I then bought coconut syrup and made a pineapple syrup. It went too sweet and it left it gooey

- I bought a coconut palm syrup to aid the flavor from not escaping and it burnt the oats

I tried making a pineapple sauce with coconut cream and that one left the mixture moist but the pineapple flavor remained. In this mixture I used honey as well. I believe the honey help keep the flavors from escaping but it was not crunchy like traditional granola is supposed to be.
- I tried 2 oz of juice this time and 2 oz of coconut cream with honey. This time around I toasted the granola first (following some food bloggers tips) and ended with a just a sticky mess and not even crunchy. Also, the flavor was gone.

I am at the point of giving up, but if anyone can shed just a bit of light or point me in the right direction you will be an answered prayer! Thanks a bunch in advance.

Miss_Karen · Answer

Look at this recipe:www.myrecipes.com/pinacolladagranola

Miss_Karen · Answer

Grains etc. Not grainger

Miss_Karen · Answer

Any leftover reduction can be drizzled over ice-cream or for French toast.Baking soda(about 1 tsp.) Will help with browning AND crispiness

Miss_Karen · Answer

Any leftover reduction can be drizzled over ice-cream or for French toast.Baking soda(about 1 tsp.) Will help with browning AND crispiness

Miss_Karen · Answer

I would make a reduction of the coconut water(?) Pineapple juice &amp;amp; a little rum. Then, use the reduction in place of whatever liquid is called for. Also, any baked item will continue to cook as it cools. Things get crisper as they cool as well. Bake the oats/seeds/ nuts per the recipe and cool.  Stir in dried coconut &amp;amp; dried pineapple AFTER the grainger have cooked. This prevents hard nugget type fruit.

Jonathan B. · Answer

Also, look what I came across today in my search for ingredients. Is like I am meant to make this recipe.

Jonathan B. · Answer

So, you mean to add the piña colada flavor to the buttermilk?

Gammy · Answer

I really admire your determination in nailing down this recipe!!  Not sure this will help, but my favorite recipe for granola involves soaking the oatmeal in buttermilk before baking in the oven which tenderizes and crisps up the oats (https://www.seriouseats...).  Thinking to help that elusive piña colada flavor, you might add either a dark rum or rum extract to the damp oatmeal just before baking, Add both sweetened shredded and unsweetened coconut chips later in the baking (so it toasts a bit, but doesn't burn) and after removing from oven, add small pieces of dried pineapple.

Jonathan B. · Answer

Thank you Nancy so much. I’ll look into these suggestions and will definitely update on it.

Nancy · Answer

Jonathan Bell - I am impressed with your efforts to make a granola with fresh and/or liquid elements of pine colada. Reluctant to throw cold water on them, but I think the additions change the chemistry of the original dish (roasted grain nut and dried fruit with smallish amounts of fat) too much to work.
I would suggest, instead, to use some other existing template and your ingredients..
Say, apple crumble with pineapple as base and granola instead of cinnamon oat topping. Or pineapple upside down cake with granola instead of some of the flour. Or a parfait with layers of coconut cream, pineapple and granola.
Maybe one of these will work, or other people will suggest proportions to make your granola version work.
Good luck and please let us know what version you make next!

Trouble Putting a Granola Recipe

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