This week’s adventure was a foray into homemade toasted muesli. I’ve always been a fan of toasted muesli but I do have a slight confession…. I’m not a fan of dried fruit. My dislike of dried fruit isn’t enough to prevent me from buying and eating toasted muesli, but while eating it I usually think “how great would this be without the dried fruit?”.
All you dried fruit aficionados will no doubt shout “muesli without dried fruit… sacrilege!”. But let me just say as a lover of all things hard and crunchy, muesli without dried fruit is a crunch explosion that makes me happy, and until the day my teeth give way from too much crunch… I’ll be making this muesli over and over again.
By removing the fruit from toasted muesli, I knew I wanted to add a more spiced flavour to compensate. Taking inspiration from my favourite store bought muesli (Sonoma’s Honey and Spice Muesli) I began brainstorming ideas for the perfect spiced nut toasted muesli. What I have created is a truly unique and personal muesli experience – which is the best feeling. It has all the spices and nuts that I love and is just for me.
After making two massive containers of this muesli, I am a little embarrassed I have not made it before – it is so easy and is also much cheaper to make it than buy it!
After my first crunchy bite of this muesli I knew I was in heaven. The rich toasted spices combined with leatherwood honey, vanilla, oats, coconut and my favourite nuts is a flavour explosion. Including spices in the toasting honey adds a wonderful depth of flavour and when serving this muesli with yoghurt and fresh fruit, the spiced nut flavours stand out and command their own attention.
If you’ve ever thought of making your own muesli now is the time to try…
SPICED NUT TOASTED MUESLI
250g good quality honey
1 vanilla bean
1/4 tsp salt flakes
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground cardamom
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg
60g almonds
1 orange, juiced and zested
4 cups rolled oats
60g macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
60g walnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 cup dessicated coconut
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line three baking sheets with baking paper and set aside.
Split the vanilla bean down the middle and scrape out the vanilla seeds with the back of a knife. To a small saucepan, add the honey and vanilla seeds and warm over a low heat whisking occasionally. Once warmed through and runny, whisk in the salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and nutmeg until well combined then set aside to cool fro 10 minutes.
In a small bowl mix almonds, orange juice and orange zest well and set aside for 10 minutes (tossing the almonds at the 5 minute mark).
In a large bowl mix oats, macadamia nuts, walnuts, sesame seeds, coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pepitas and the marinated almonds and mix well. Once the honey mixture has cooled, pour into the large bowl over the other ingredients and using your hands, mix well until the honey and spices have coated all the dry ingredients.
Divide the mixture between the three baking trays making sure to keep the mixture in one thin layer on each tray. Drizzle some plain honey thinly over the top of each layer of mixture. Bake the three trays in the oven for 30 minutes (or until mixture is golden), stirring every 10 minutes and swapping tray positions in the oven each time for even toasting.
Remove from oven and allow to cool on the trays. Once cooled, stir the muesli to break it apart and store in large jars or airtight containers. Eat with fresh fruit and yoghurt for a wonderful light breakfast.
What’s the difference between pepitas and pumpkin seeds? I thought they were the same thing. This muesli sounds amazing! Will try for sure.
To my understanding pepitas & pumpkin seeds are the same thing but aside from that what a beautiful muesli. I don’t mind a little dried apricot or apple in mine but can’t stand it with raisins and sultanas.
Oops! You are both completely right of course… I hadn’t picked up the error as I ran through the ingredients in my head! I’ve updated 🙂 Thanks!
I eat muesli on a daily basis. Never have I thought to make my own – I suppose I resort to store bought for convenience and a quick fix. Like John, I enjoy apricots, apples and what not but I really don’t like sultanas and raisins. I will sit ther and pick them out if I have to.
I’ve never made muesli – shocking, I know. Although I like dried fruit, I’ve never much liked it in muesli. Your version looks wonderful! Great job with the spices in this. Thanks for a fun read.
This sounds so decadent. I would love to stir it into a cup of greek yogurt or even better as a topping for frozen yogurt!
I don’t mind the dried fruit but I can see how it might be even more delicious without it. What a great recipe! Can’t wait to try it.
I love home made muesli and after I’ve made the first one I was surprised how delicious it is. And easy. And so much better than the one I used to buy in a store.
Scrumptious I’m sure! Homemade muesli/granola is so delicious and yours looks amazing.
Cheers,
Rosa
This looks yummy. I don’t like the dried fruit either.
Wow! I never knew dislike of dried fruit was a common occurrence!
Love this recipe! Will be linking back to this in my upcoming post 🙂