I wanted to make something to bring to sdebrango who hosted our FOOD52 cookbook party so I posted a question on the hotline about what to bring when you're a guest and have limited time, and granola was one of the suggestions. Coincidentally, The New York Times Sunday Magazine had a recipe for granola from the Eleven Madison Park cookbook. I set out to make that one but couldn't find shelled pistachios (and I couldn't convince my husband to shell them and not eat them) or coconut chips, and I didn't have enough maple syrup, and I wanted to add some spice, so before you know it, i had changed the recipe around quite a bit. I was also inspired by chezsuzanne's granola with dried fruit, but since we're all nut fans around here, I decided to use nuts as well. What I really like about this granola is that it's not super-sweet, and there's a hint of salt, which in my view makes it great for snacking.
I'm making it next week to serve my nieces and nephews who are staying with us for Thanksgiving--their favorite breakfast is vanilla yogurt with granola. I think they'll really like this. —drbabs
Addictive, elegant, incredible—I’m unable to define this granola with just a single adjective. It is hard to comprehend that such a delicious snack is made purely of healthy ingredients. The crunchy rolled oats, pumpkin seeds and nuts take center stage; the combination of cinnamon, clove and allspice is mild, establishing their characteristic flavors gradually. The surprise element in is the amazing combination of salty and sweet. Four different natural sweeteners give an additional depth to the flavor profile, and yet, the sweetness level is just right, balanced perfectly by the right amount of salt. One note: The suggested temperature of 275°F tended to slightly scorch the granola. A second batch toasted at 225°F for 40 (stirred at 10 minute intervals and cooled for an additional 15 minutes in the ‘shut off’ oven) worked out perfectly. —Panfusine
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