Chocolaty granola

This chocolaty muesli is one of my latest favourites. Bitter sweet. Bitter from the cacao paste (not chocolate), and sweet from the much-loved maple syrup. Chocolate nuances come from the cacao butter. AND then there is that vanilla powder.

Ingredients

200 g quick cooking oat flakes
115 g whole oat flakes
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
50 g almond flour
50 g melon or pumpkin seeds
70 g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
2 tbsp cacao butter
1 tbsp coconut oil
60 ml maple syrup
100 g cacao paste, chopped into various sized pieces
80 g candied black currant 
50 g chia seeds*

Prepare

Heat the oven to 190°. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

Mix both types of flakes in a bowl along with the almond flower, hazelnuts, seeds, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix the syrup with the cacao butter and oil. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly coated.

Spread the mixture evenly on a baking sheet. Lower the temp of the oven to 160° and bake for 25 minutes, mixing the outside in occasionally so that the edges don’t burn and everything is evenly browned. When the flakes are golden, take out of the oven and sprinkle with the cacao paste. Let it melt and then mix in gently. Let it melt some more and mix again. Cool. 

When cool, add the candied fruit and chia seeds and mix. Pour into glass jars to store. Serve in the morning with milk – cow, almond, or oat – or with plain yogurt.

* You can omit these or substitute with light flax seeds (just before using, crush or blend).

Recipe and pictures: Signe Meirane
Camera: Sony Alpha 7s