THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS GRANOLA CAME FROM a scone recipe my mother often uses. Just barely sweet and fragrant with the scent of orange zest, they are studded with toasted walnuts and dried cranberries. Delicious when first baked, they rapidly lose their appeal as they age, rendering them impossible to eat the second day. This recipe offers similar flavors in a hardier format.
3 cups/255 g old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup/110 g sliced almonds
1 cup/115 g chopped raw walnuts
⅓ cup/50 g poppy seeds
Zest of 1 orange
¼ cup/60 ml sunflower oil (or other neutral oil)
½ cup/120 ml honey
¼ cup/60 ml orange juice
1 cup/120 g dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 325°F/165°C/gas 3.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, walnuts, poppy seeds, and orange zest. Use your hands to toss everything together.
Pour the sunflower oil into a glass measuring cup and swirl it around before adding it to the bowl. Using the same, unwashed cup, measure the honey and add it to the bowl. The residual oil will help the honey exit the cup. Add the orange juice and stir everything together until evenly coated. Spread the mixture out on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake until the granola is crisp and brown, about 30 to 35 minutes, stirring 2 to 3 times during baking to ensure even browning.
Remove the pan from the oven. Scatter the dried cranberries over the cereal and gently stir to incorporate.
When the granola is completely cool, store it in an airtight container. It will keep for a week to 10 days.