Where do I begin writing about the secrets of baking gourmet granola?
This is a struggle for me. I want to share the wealth per se (of knowledge) about why is a really wholesome and healthy granola but at the exact same there's that lurking looked at not wanting to provide away all the secrets gleaned from many in kitchen experiences and years of living. Oh what the heck, let's select it.
Just what exactly does create a truly great granola? For certain, it's the flavour. And so how exactly does one get yourself a full-bodied gourmet flavour from granola? Of primary importance in the act is how it's baked. You may wish to bake your granola in a medium to slow oven. For purposes of clarification, a medium oven is 350 degrees F while a slow oven will be 250 to 300 degrees. Personally I bake at 350, however this takes constant vigilance so the Granola does not burn. 30 minutes of total bake time with stirring at 10 minute intervals will ensure even browning. If utilizing a slower oven, then the stirring intervals may be extended combined with the total bake time as well.
The next secret in developing the flavour of your finished gourmet granola may be the caramelization of the sugars present in the mix. This is exactly why you need to be cautious to not let it overbrown or overbake. This will result in a burnt sugar taste to your end product, certainly not everything you are seeking.
A third and equally important secret to make gourmet granola is premium quality ingredients. This may include recently milled grains, nuts and seeds of ultimate freshness, fresh crop honey (not overly processed) and high quality vegetable oil. Unless your surviving in the boonies, most of these ingredients must certanly be readily available from a local farmer's market or bulk food or dry grocer's store.
To recap, that's baking time, taking care to make sure even browning and utilising the freshest ingredients. Put all three of those secrets together and you too will excel in your granola baking venture.
