Ideas for home made granola please

[CandyLoo]

We've always bought granola but having worked out the cost, and seen the amount of sugar in the brand we were buying, I've decided to make my own.
There are lots of recipes out there, any suggestions for what you think works best? Thanks

I made a variation of this one and it was amazing!

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1590/goodforyou-granola

I make the same one as Miffy. We alter the choice of seeds and nuts and dried fruit. Have thrown in choc chips etc. Works really well and keeps for ages.

I make my own no added sugar one, all measurements are approximate...
4 cups of big oats
1 cup of normal porridge oats
1 cup coconut
1 cup whatever seeds you like
As many nuts as you like
About 1 cup of apple juice

Mix it up and leave to soak for 15 mins or as long as you like.
Spread over 2 oven trays and bake until toasted, I like mine quite well browned.
When cooled mix in whatever dried fruit you like.

Done & delicious!

I've tried a similar recipe, but it hasn't 'clumped'. Any tips? Tastes delicious though.

If it hasn't clumped its either because you haven't got enough syrup, butter, sugar etc or you haven't cooked it for long enough.

I make mine with a tablespoon of golden syrup, a dessert spoon of Demerara, a big knob of butter, all melted together first. Then add your mix of oats seeds and nuts, I also add a few drops vanilla extract and zest of an orange. Turn really well in sugary buttery mix, and then turn every 10 minutes or so, total about 25 mins.

Soaking in fruit juice helps the clumping but it will never be as clumpy without sugar and fat but I don't have a problem with that.

Tasty ideas, thanks all. About to try the BBC recipe.
Do I have to wait for breakfast tomorrow to try some?!

That would be insane!

I didn't add sugar or butter. Just maple syrup I think. I'll add butter next time. Yum!

I've used a recipe from the Smitten Kitchen cookbook (sorry, can't find it online) and she uses egg white to bind as well as a little oil & syrup. The egg white means that it clumps without adding lots of fat and/or sugar. Think it was about one egg white per 500g or so of oats. Mix it in after the oil, syrup etc just before going in the oven. Also, when you turn it midway through cooking, be very gentle otherwise you'll break it all up when it's still soft.

Here it is! I love her website, I'm thinking of getting the book now there is a UK edition, would you recommend it?

The fat content of that Bbcgoodfood one is massive!

I don't eat granola to be healthy! I eat it because it's delicious!

Yes it's very good, especially for breakfast & sweet things. I find her blog better for savoury stuff. Actually, I use her blog a lot more than I have the book, but it's a good read (lots of good tips) and the photography is great.