Remember a couple of months ago I told you about tapping the maple trees for syrup? We harvested over 12 gallons of sap and spent a couple of  days boiling the sap down on my kitchen stove to make maple syrup. We wound up with close to 2 cups. 

We’ve been enjoying this precious commodity on pancakes, in hot tea and in granola.

I hope you try, and love, the recipe I’m sharing today for my new favorite granola with maple syrup. 

The maple flavor is subtle, with a nice, not overly sweet, taste. 

For the oats in granola to bake up with just the right amount of crispiness without being overly dry, some kind of fat is needed. Now that usually means oil but with this recipe, I subbed in butter which worked just fine.

With both nuts and seeds and less dried fruit than some granola recipes, this crunchy snack has the benefit of being higher in protein. 

And if you have some extra maple syrup, go ahead and make a batch of maple syrup cream sauce. I have a hard time not eating it right out of the jar…but it’s lovely on ice cream, as a dip for fruits, on pancakes and drizzled over plain cake.

Maple granola

Feel free to sub in your favorite nuts, seeds and fruit. Granola is customizable! 

Ingredients

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats – don’t use quick or instant since they will bake up too powdery

1-1/2 cups nuts of your choice – I used pecan, walnut and almond pieces

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup salted butter – if using unsalted, add 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar – I used light brown

1 cup or so dried fruit 

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325.

Combine oats, nuts, seeds and, if using, salt.

In a saucepan, stir together butter, maple syrup, vanilla and sugar.

Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then lower to a simmer and cook about 5 minutes. That’s enough time for sugar to dissolve.

Pour maple syrup mixture over oats mixture and stir until well coated.

Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and spread mixture out in even layer.

Bake, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes or so, until golden.

Remove and let cool. It will get crispier as it cools.
Stir in fruit.

Store in covered container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 6 cups.

Maple syrup cream sauce

Ingredients

2 teaspoons corn starch

1/4 cup cold water

1-1/2 cps maple syrup

1 cup whipping cream, unwhipped

Instructions

Whisk starch in water.

Pour syrup and cream in a saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the cornstarch mixture, whisking as you go.

Cook until it comes to a boil, cool, and refrigerate.