It’s maple syrup season, and we’re happy to give you yet another excuse (in case you needed one…) to enjoy Canada’s traditional sweet treat: our maple and candied-ginger granola. A perfect yogurt topper, delicious with milk and fresh fruit, or to add crunch to ice cream, this granola is lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup and is a favourite in our kitchen. Made with rolled oats, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries and apricots, plus lots of other goodies, it’s a healthy kick-start to your day and very easy to make. And we love the addition of orange rind and candied ginger, both of which add great flavour and give this granola a tasty leg up on store bought varieties. It will stay fresh for up to a week in an airtight container, or for a month in the fridge and up to three months in the freezer.
Step 1:
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Stir the rolled oats, wheat bran, sunflower seeds, slivered almonds, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. In a second bowl whisk maple syrup, vegetable oil and vanilla until combined, then stir in the grated orange rind (1 tsp) and juice (2 tbsp). Pour the orange-syrup mixture over the oats, and stir to mix.
Step 2:
Spread oats and syrup mixture onto a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake in the oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Tip: Stir the granola often during baking to prevent burning (in particular, watch the edges of pan). While the granola bakes, measure out the raisins, dried cranberries, and chop the apricots and dried ginger. Set aside.
Step 3:
Remove pan from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Continue to stir occasionally until granola has cooled, then stir in the dried fruit and candied ginger. Tip: The fruit is added after baking to keep it soft and tasty – dried fruit burns quickly and tastes terrible – trust us on this one!
Try this recipe: Maple and candied-ginger granola
Ingredients
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