Molly Wizenberg's French Chocolate Granola

I thought I didn't like granola, but it turns out I simply don't like cinnamon in my breakfast cereal! Give me cinnamon in apple pancake, stewed prunes, even coconut bread, but leave my cereal be. I'm so glad to have figured that out - your collective concern about my dislike of granola was touching.

Oh, and also, chocolate in cereal is fantastic. Who knows what I was thinking when I said I couldn't eat that for breakfast on a regular basis. Chocolate is great for breakfast! Essential, even.

I made this the way Molly did, and it was perfect. Then it was gone, about two days later. Ben had one bowl, I foolishly gave some to my upstairs neighbor and the rest, erm, was eaten by me. Yes. So I had to make another batch, of course. Of course!

In the second batch, I thought I'd tone down the sugar and the chocolate a little. I'm supposed to be in a bathing suit in four (4!) days! Doubling all the ingredients but the sugar and chocolate left me with a nicely balanced, delicately sweet granola. Is it as good as the original? No, it's not. But it's still pretty tasty, plus it makes me feel somewhat virtuous.

Overrated, I know, that feeling is.

(The first time I made this, I used Valrhona Manjari. The second time I used Lindt's Bittersweet. The Manjari was better. Was that even a surprise?)

French Chocolate Granola
Makes approximately 10 cups

6 cups rolled oats
1 cup raw almonds, chopped
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
12 tablespoons mild honey
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup finely chopped bittersweet chocolate (containing around 56% cocoa solids)

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.

2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, coconut, sugar, and salt.  Stir well to blend.

3. In a small saucepan, warm the honey and oil over low heat, stirring gently, until the honey is loose. Pour over the dry ingredients, and stir to combine well.

4. Spread the mixture evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden. Set a timer to go off halfway through the baking time, so that you can give the granola a good stir; this helps it to cook evenly. When it’s ready, remove the pan from the oven, stir well – this will keep it from cooling into a hard, solid sheet – and cool completely.

5. When cool, transfer the granola to a large bowl, storage jar, or zipper-lock plastic bag. Add the chocolate, and stir (or shake, if using a jar or bag) to mix. Store in an airtight container.

Comments

[Erinn]

This looks so good - I think I could even get my daughter to eat this (and she's not a granola fan). The only hitch? I'd be up at midnight eating the whole batch in front of the TV.
Yummmy

[upstairs neighbour]

I certainly hope there are many more moments of foolishness in your future xx

[Judith]

Haha, sometimes I think the whole blogging world is waking up to Molly's granola in the morning. And that's a good thing! It's my favourite recipe too - and you know what? I've never actually made it with chocolate! I use pecans and almonds and a really good quality cream honey and I find it doesn't need the chocolate at all. The only thing I don't like is that the crunch doesn't really hold up to milk. Hmm.

[dara]

I was just checking for a new post, wondering if you'd made the chocolate granola yet, and here this is! Serendipity!

I am eating a bowl of it right now, having become thoroughly addicted. It is definitely not my breakfast, but makes a perfectly satisfying afternoon or evening snack, when I'm wanting something sweet and a little bit filling. I eat it out of a little teacup with a little teaspoon - to make it last longer, and well, so I don't feel so guilty when I go for seconds. See, we're all striving for our own ways to be virtuous ;)

I cut out the sugar, use a little more than half the honey, use melted butter instead of oil, and 70% chocolate. That's sweet enough for me! Yum, yum. Sensational in the true sense of the word.

[Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)]

Chocolate in granola? This would go so well over vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, for dessert. In fact, I think I'll have to make some!

[radish]

I also am not a fan of cinnamon in my cereal - but love cinnamon throughout! However, i'm an odd bird, i don't like chocolate in my cereal either. I like dried fruits and nuts. :) This does looks stunning though - maybe i make it as a snack and keep at work?

[Tracy Parker]

Love granola! I made some recently... why didn't I think to add chocolate!!!! Great thinking.

[Lisa]

Ooh, I second the ice cream comment. Virtuousness is overrated!

[mindy]

Molly makes a different granola (feb '08 post) that is a little more virtuous, but just as yummy, as this one. Check it out!

[Molly]

So glad you liked it, my friend!
xo

P.S. I guess I should have warned you that it's addictive?

[Shooky]

This granola looks heavenly good. Gotta try this one. It reminds me of the granola used in a new place in Tel-Aviv called Yogo, which makes the best yogurt ice-cream I ever had.

[Jeena]

This looks wonderful and the ingredients are fabulous. I bet the smell was a amazing as it cooked.

[Mandy]

I love how great this tastes, because I made the same recipe not long ago too!

[Caroline]

mon dieu! Where have I been? I want to eat this for breakfast with everyone else!
Beautiful light in the photos...

[Lindy]

Good grief. Chocolate granola? There is a plot afoot to keep me growing ever larger. And I can't say I'm all that unhappy about it.

[Rose-Anne]

Molly's French Chocolate Granola is the best! I've made it at least half a dozen times since she published it. And for a girl who is always on the look-out for the next new recipe, five repeats is saying a lot.

Strangely enough, along the lines of granola disasters, when I tried Molly's very first granola (Rancho La Puerta Granola), I was terribly disappointed. My batch came out hard, overspiced, and undersweetened. Because of this granola disaster, I was a little nervous about trying another Orangette granola, but it turns out the risk was totally and completely worth it. So you aren't alone in your granola disasters, Luisa!

[jocelyn]

must be gemma posing as an upstairs neighbour - cos I bet she liked this granola! Will try it some time but not sure I should!!! lol

[Jeff]

I'll eat any granola with chocolate!

[km]

Yum, Luisa. I love the idea of chocolate! I'm late to the discussion but I'll add if you want to keep it super crunchy add a cup of grapenuts (before bakong) or for a less hearty taste try Rice Crispies (after baking)
Also to make even more virtuous, I split the honey half with agave nectar to make it less of a sugar shock to the system for the am. Agave is sweeter than honey and low glycemic.

[Hillary]

I love all of Molly's recipes...this one included!

[passy]

This is almost identical to the recipe I've been using for a while, only I use dried cherries instead of the chocolate. Now, thanks to you, I'll add the chocolate with the cherries. How bad can that be?

[pam]

i made this last night - yum! i added some dried cranberries because, well, i like them.

[Noor]

Ok this looks amazing and I want some right now. I can not wait to try this. I am so happy I found your blog its so great. Check mine out some time, maybe I would be lucky enough to link with you, lol...

themiddleeasterncook.blogspot.com

[Zahid Ahmer]

Good recipe. Might try it.

[Sophie]

Just wanted to let you know that your recipes are awesome, just saved 2! I'll be back often :D.