Chocolate Coconut Granola

 

I finally got around to making Bobby Flay’s Chocolate Coconut Granola, and it was really good! This one had the particularity of having chunks of granola that were encased in a caramel-like coating, which worked remarkably well with the chocolate! I like to eat my granola with lactose-free plain Greek yogurt.

¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1/3 cup best-quality cocoa powder (such as Vahlrona or Callebaut)
¼ cup clover honey
¼ cup granulated cane sugar
1 pinch of fine sea salt
1/8 tsp. pure coconut extract
1/8 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 ½ cups oats
½ cup raw whole almonds, coarsely chopped (I used pecans)
½ cup coconut chips, coarsely chopped
¼ cup best-quality bittersweet chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli)
¼ cup best-quality white chocolate chips

Adjust the baking rack in the oven to the middle rack. Preheat the oven to 275 °F. Brush a half sheet pan with 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil.

Heat the remaining ¼ cup coconut oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Whisk in the cocoa powder, honey, sugar and salt and bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking constantly until smooth and the sugar is completely melted. Stir in the coconut and vanilla extracts. Keep warm.

Combine the oats, almonds and coconut chips in a bowl. Add the cocoa mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until the oat mixture is completely coated with the cocoa mixture. Transfer the mixture to the prepared sheet pan and press into an even layer. Bake for 50 minutes. Turn off the oven and let sit in the warm oven for 30 minutes longer. Remove to a baking rack and let cool.

In a large bowl, break into pieces and toss together with the bittersweet and white chocolate chips.