Master Batch: Jumbo Oat Granola Cereal & Bars (Inline Guide)
A single-session preparation workflow that splits one master mixture to yield both classic crunchy cereal clusters and exactly 6 dense granola bars.
Equipment Needed
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 liquid measuring jug
- 1 large, rimmed baking sheet (for the cereal)
- 1 small rectangular tin or loaf tin (approx. 20cm x 10cm, for the bars)
- Parchment paper for lining both tins
Step-by-Step Combined Workflow
Phase 1: The Master Mix
- Preheat the Oven
- Set your oven to 150°C (Fan) or 170°C (Conventional).
- Line both your large baking sheet (for cereal) and your small loaf tin (for bars) with parchment paper.
- Measure and Combine the Master Dry Base
- In your largest mixing bowl, combine the following dry ingredients:
- 510g Kavanagh’s Organic Jumbo Porridge Oats
- 90g Pecans (roughly chopped)
- 90g Walnuts (roughly chopped)
- 45g Pumpkin Seeds
- 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- Stir these dry ingredients thoroughly to ensure the nuts, seeds, and spices are evenly distributed throughout the jumbo oats.
- Whisk the Master Wet Binder
- In your liquid measuring jug, measure and whisk together the following wet ingredients until they form a smooth, uniform emulsion:
- 180ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 180ml Maple syrup or honey
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Merge Wet and Dry
- Pour the whisked wet binder (180ml olive oil, 180ml syrup, 1 ½ tsp vanilla) directly over your bowl of dry ingredients.
- Stir continuously for 2 to 3 minutes, ensuring every single jumbo oat flake and nut piece is thoroughly coated and glistening.
Phase 2: The 2:1 Split and Customization
- Divide the Batch
- Visually divide the glossy oat mixture in your bowl into three equal parts.
- Prep Tray 1: The Cereal (2/3 of the Mix)
- Transfer approximately two-thirds of the mixture (about 600g) onto your large, lined baking sheet.
- Spread it out into an even layer, then use a spatula to press the mixture down firmly. Packing it tightly on the tray helps create those desirable large cereal clusters.
- Upgrade Tray 2: The Bars (Remaining 1/3 of the Mix)
- Keep the remaining one-third of the mixture in your mixing bowl.
- Add the following bar-binding ingredients directly into the bowl:
- 1 large tbsp Smooth nut butter (Almond or Peanut)
- 25g Raisins or dates (very finely chopped to act as structural glue)
- Stir vigorously until the nut butter is completely integrated and the mixture becomes noticeably stickier and heavier.
- Transfer this sticky bar mixture into your lined small rectangular loaf tin.
- Compress with force: Use the flat bottom of a heavy drinking glass to pack the mixture down as tightly as physically possible. It must be a flat, solid, compressed block to prevent crumbling later.
Phase 3: The Parallel Bake
- Enter the Oven
- Place both trays in the preheated oven at the exact same time.
- Position the large cereal baking sheet on the middle shelf and the smaller bar tin on the lower shelf to balance the heat.
- Timer 1 (22 Minutes) - Remove the Cereal
- At the 22-minute mark, check the large cereal tray. The oats should be a light, pale golden color.
- Remove the cereal tray from the oven and set it on a cooling rack.
- Crucial Tip: Do not stir the hot granola if you want large chunks. Let it sit completely undisturbed.
- Timer 2 (32 Minutes) - Remove the Bars
- Leave the smaller bar tin in the oven for an additional 10 minutes (making a total bake time of 32 minutes).
- The edges of the compressed bar block should look a deep, rich golden brown.
- Remove the tin from the oven and let it cool completely to room temperature on your counter.
Phase 4: Cooling, Setting, and Slicing
- Finish the Cereal
- Once the baked cereal is completely cold to the touch (at least 45 minutes), break the sheet of oats gently by hand into chunky clusters.
- Toss in the final post-bake ingredient:
- 100g Dried fruit of choice (such as cranberries, raisins, or chopped apricots)
- Transfer the finished granola cereal into an airtight glass jar for storage.
- Set the Bars (The Critical Step)
- Once the bar tin has cooled fully to room temperature, place the entire tin directly into the fridge.
- Let it chill undisturbed for a minimum of 2 to 3 hours. This allows the extra virgin olive oil and warm sugars to fully solidify into a firm structural matrix.
- Slice the Bars
- Lift the solid, chilled block out of the tin using the overhanging parchment paper.
- Place it on a cutting board and use a sharp, heavy serrated bread knife to slice the block into 6 clean, uniform bars.
- Store the finished bars in an airtight container inside the fridge to keep them firm and chewy.