Winding back to the Rhubarb Breakfast Muffins, I said I was working my way through several Rachel Allen’s Home Cooking recipes. I made this granola on that same productive muffin morning.
Describing cereal as life changing sounds lunacy to me but home made granola was an unexpected revelation. Gathering the ingredients, the scale of how much I was making made me think, “I’m going to have this sitting around for months.”
Quite the opposite. Home made granola turned out to be crunch-tastic. I vowed to make it again although I still assumed we had 2 months’ supply. Yet the granola disappeared at frightening speed. I skipped into the kitchen to tip it into bowls of Greek yogurt each morning. Ted tucked in too. Even my father who mostly exists on a diet of porridge, sardines and raw carrot ate it.
After ten days I had to stop. It was nearly gone and I hadn’t photographed it yet! A long shelf life meant torture as the pictures were repeatedly shunted down my to-do list.
Until now. There is a new regime at Maison Cupcake HQ. Ted, who frequently napped for 2 hours in the afternoon (how else do you think I manage to write this blog) now has an all day routine with early bedtime.
So it was evening when I finally took photographs in the garden. I figured if I could take pictures like this at 3.30pm indoors in December that 7pm outdoors in summer should be easy. I have new found freedom with longer evenings can finally eat the photographed granola.
Rachel’s original recipe features a wider range of fruit and nuts but I felt the need for something more focused. I also wanted to run down my stock of dried sour cherries from Montenegro before the in-laws go back there. I upped the ratio of desiccated coconut too – because I like it and didn’t have linseed.
Now I need to make another bucketful. Which would last me, ooh, a fortnight.
There is still time to enter the
Matcha Chocolate giveaway on the previous post.
(closes midnight BST, Sunday 20th June)
Sour Cherry and Coconut Granola
Adapted from Rachel Allen Home Cooking
Makes around 1.5kg
Ingredients
125g (4.5oz) butter
150ml (5fl oz) honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
500g (1lb 2oz) rolled oats
200g (7oz) pecans, roughly chopped
75g (3oz) pumpkin seeds
50g (2oz) sunflower seeds
150g (5.5oz) dessicated coconut
200g (7oz) dried sour cherries
100g (4oz) dried figs
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170c (325f), Gas mark 3.
2. Place the butter, honey and vanilla extract in a small saucepan on a low heat and gently melt together. Mix the oats, nuts, seeds and coconut together in a large bowl. Pour over the melted butter and honey mixture and stir ensuring all the dry ingredients are coated.
3. Divide the mixture between two large baking trays and spread in an even layer. Bake in the oven for 20-45 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes until golden brown. (Rachel’s recipe said 20-25 minutes but in my oven it took 45 minutes until I was happy with the colour so you can use this as a guide and decide for yourself when it is ready).
4. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the trays. Do not transfer to jars or deep bowls yet as the condensation on the cooling granola might make it go soggy.
5. When cool, transfer to a large bowl and stir in your dried fruit.
6. Pour into an airtight container. Keeps at room temperature for up to two months.
sarah dot maisoncupcake dot com 
I have yet to make my own granola, but I love the idea of it. Store bought granola usually has one ingredient that I'm not into–I love the idea of making one just right
Oh my is this ever fantastic! I love it! Love the dried sour cherries in it too. And Sarah, these are wonderful photographs and styling! yay!
this is healthy, i've never tried to make them at home and you are giving me ideas now! Fabulous idea!
Hi Sarah – great post. Definitely going to try this one as raisins/sultanas and currants are the only things I don't eat – yet they appear in all Breakfast cereals! I'm always on the look out for Granola recipes that don't include them! Txx
I'm wishing I had this in my pantry for breakfast. I love the addition of cherries.
I love homemade granola too!!! and I can eat it anytime of the day.. hehe
Absolutely GORGEOUS photos, Sarah!! Ohhh, you're getting so amazingly good.
Can't wait to see them displayed on your new blog too. 
Right! I shall expect BUCKETS of this at the bbq! Looks perfectly yummy.
Sarah the photos are GREAT! It's really brought the post to life. Love all the pretty flower table cloths and napkins. The granola of course sounds good too. Is it easy to get dried sour cherries here? I've never noticed them in the shops before.
Looks absolutely fab, I just love homemade granola. Aren't you loving this evening light? The photos look great.
Homemade granola and a Rachel Allen recipe – it's got to be a winner. And it looks fantastic. I can almost taste it mixed with Greek yoghurt for a scrumptious breakfast! I'm not surprised it didn't last long.
Oh! I never made granola…yours look so yummie, love the ingredients that you have in it
Nice pictures as well!
Lovely photos, I do love how there's still a hint of natural light when I get back from work.
Much better for photos. I've never tried making my own granola, I must try.
sour cherries AND figs! This is such an inspired recipe. breakfast is the best meal of the day- obviously! And wow to your previous post on that amazing sounding chocolate cake. gossh, could it look any more heavenly!
I love making my own granola as it is a great way of making sure your breakfast includes exactly what you want to eat – I adapt ottolenghi's version slightly (I use half the oil and maple syrup they suggest) which is worth a try!
Yummy…..homemade cereal is a revelation. No surprise that it lasted 'short'!.and that you are grateful for 'porning' what is left and sharing with us!
Sarah, there was a time when I used to make my own Granola. Reading your post i kept asking myself why I stopped. When you manage to get a good recipe you just have so much pleasure out of it. the inspiration from your post might put me back into the home made granola routine..well, let's see.
granola
wow, new recipe hah
i will try it
Thank you – I made this at the weekend as a birthday present.
Made a few tweaks…halved the quantity of butter and added rapeseed oil instead. Then added glug of pomegranate syrup to add more tartness. Plus mixed sour and morello cherries.
I also had to bake it for ages..about and hour an a half.
[...] of things all in one recipe. There is a place for flavoured granola – indeed try my sour cherry and coconut granola recipe – however when my husband is munching a bowl of something before he leaves for work, so long [...]