baked – The Snack Review

Second Timer’s Granola–With Egg Whites

Immediately after my triumphant first foray into the world of granola, I turned to my on-demand cooking counselor, the Internet, and asked: “How to get those clusters in granola?” And lo, the fine folks at Food52 had recently answered this very question. Armed with their brilliant tip (egg white = binding protein), I set out for another batch, and have made this several times over since. What follows is my recipe for gently clustered pecan almond chocolate chip granola. (And please forgive the blurry photo–still getting the hang of this photographing all my cooking business.)

Chocolate Almond Pecan Granola, With Clusters
Makes 3-4 cups
1 ¾ cups rolled oats
1/3 cup sliced raw almonds
½ cup roughly chopped raw pecans
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp coarse salt
1 egg white
½ to ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 300ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix everything, except for the egg white and chocolate chips, in a medium sized bowl.
3. In a separate small bowl, whip the egg white until it’s frothy and foamy, about 3-4 minutes. Incorporate into unbaked granola and mix, then spread into an even layer onto baking sheet.
4. Bake for 30-40 minutes, removing every 15 to stir, until the oats and nuts are toasted to your taste.
5. Remove from oven and cool in the pan until granola is just warm, then stir in chocolate chips. Store in an airtight container.

Easy First Timer’s Granola

An old friend named Corina, herself a pro baker, once told me that if your dish takes good raw you know it’s going to taste great cooked. This was, if I remember correctly, why she insisted on trying all her cookie dough. Sound logic, if you ask me.

I was thinking about that kitchen wisdom as I was making this granola. Granola is not unlike fried rice, I discovered. Whatever you like (or happen to have on hand) goes! The original recipe calls for coconut, I had none. The recipe wanted dark brown sugar, all I was light. Again I swapped out fancier dark chocolate for regular old chocolate chips. No matter. When I snuck a few bites of the oats prior to their toast in the oven, I knew the finished product would be a keeper. Thanks, Corina, for that wise advice.

p.s. This was my first time making granola! With that whopping one experience under my belt, I pass on to you this pro tip: you’re going to want to stay in the room to catch the wafting smells of oats and nuts while they roast. Heavenly.

Chocolate Almond Pecan Granola
(adapted from xobreakfast)
Makes 3-4 cups

1 ¾ cups rolled oats
1/3 cup sliced raw almonds
½ cup roughly chopped raw pecans
1/3 cup light brown sugar
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp coarse salt
½ to ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 300ºF and line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Mix everything, save for the chocolate, in a bowl and spread onto pan.

3. Bake for 30-40 minutes, removing every 10 to stir, until the oats and nuts are toasted to your taste.

4. Remove from oven and cool in the pan until granola is just warm, then stir in chocolate chips. Store in an airtight container.

Olive Oil Banana Chocolate Bread

Noelle calls hers, adapted from Melissa Clark, the “chicest banana bread.” My version was a decidedly more down-market affair, but delicious nonetheless. I daresay it’s the best chocolate banana bread I’ve made yet.

Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Adapted from Melissa Clark via xobreakfast

Makes one 9×5 loaf and four muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

3-4 ripe bananas

¾ cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 eggs

¼ cup plain yogurt or sour cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon zest

juice of half a lemon

¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Notes: I didn’t fill the loaf pan completely to leave room for some extra muffins. If you’re not in a muffin mood the batter will fill out one 9×5 loaf pan perfectly.

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and butter the loaf pan.
2. Mix dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt) in small bowl.
3. In a larger bowl, mash the bananas, then mix in sugar, olive oil, eggs, yogurt, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice.
4. Incorporate the dry into the wet in three parts. Fold the chocolate chips in at the end. Pour batter into pans and muffin cups and bake 45-60 minutes, about 25 minutes for muffins. It’s ready when a toothpick inserted into the bread comes out clean. Cool in the pan.