This is the sort of breakfast that gives me the get up and go. My Island Granola brings a little sunshine and warmth to your morning breakfast; the combination of spices, dried fruits and nuts makes for a delectable and exquisite breakfast. Homemade granola is far superior in taste compared to shop bought packets and I'll let you in with a secret: once you make your own granola, you will never go back to shop brought, that's what happened to me. Granola is actually quite easy to make and if you get chance, do make my jumble berry compote, especially when the berries are in season. Island granola served with jumble berry compote, is my preferred accompanimen; the combination of Jamaican flavours with English fruits is how many of my recipes are Jamaican-English mash up dishes.
You will need a large mixing bowl, a large oven tin or foil.
Makes 600g Serves 5-6 people
400g rolled porridge oats
200g mixed dried fruits and nuts (raisins, apricots, banana chips & Brazil nuts)
3 tablespoon oil vegetable oil
1tsp vanilla extract
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon all spice
60g dark brown sugar
4 tablespoon maple syrup or honey or golden syrup
Drizzle of vegetable oil for greasing the oven tin.
For the jumbleberry and lemon compote.
500g mixed berries (raspberry, strawberry and blueberry)
6tbsp caster sugar
½ lemon
Method
Preheat the oven to gas mark 3. Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, ensuring the oats are covered with the maple syrup vanilla extract and oil until thoroughly combined. Lightly grease a baking sheet (or foil) place in the oven tin. Add the granola in the oven tin and place the trays in the middle of the oven, stir every 10 minutes or so, as this will ensure the granola will be golden throughout. Leave the granola to cool and store in an airtight container. The Tropical granola should last a month.
For the jumbleberry compote
Place the mixed berries and sugar in a saucepan. Add the juice of ½ lemon in the pan.
Simmer the fruits for around 8 minutes or until the syrup can coat the back of a spoon.
Leave the compote to cool, and then serve with the granola.
The compote can be kept for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight jar/container in the fridge.