Last week a friend told me that the best thing about a certain hotel was the toast served in the dining room. It was a perfectly good hotel, but her memory was of the toast, and I could relate, because that’s how I feel about hotel granola. I always remember what type of granola is served at breakfast, be it from a box (not good), granola that seems like it was poured out of a box (usually served with yogurt), or a big bowl of granola with a note that it's the hotel's house blend. That granola is always the best.
I’m telling you this because I recently acquired the Viceroy Hotel Anguilla granola recipe. If you travel frequently, you’ve probably heard of the Viceroy, or maybe you've heard of it via Top Chef. Chris Crary, the chef nicknamed "Malibu" by the other chefs, is executive chef of Viceroy Santa Monica’s Whist restaurant. This recipe, however, does not come from Whisk, but rather the kitchen at the Viceroy Anguilla.
Viceroy Hotel Granola Recipe
The granola recipe pasted at the bottom is from The Viceroy, but because it would take us a year to eat all that, I whittled it down to about ⅛ of the recipe. Other than scaling down the measurements, I really didn’t change much because I wanted to see how unsweetened coconut and peanuts (not something I'd normally add to granola) would taste. The result reminded me of the flavor of Cracker Jacks or oddly enough, a Snickers Bar, though Snickers has no coconut. If you like granola, give it a try. This one really is different.
Recipe
Viceroy Hotel Granola
Ingredients
- 2 cups minus about 2 tablespoons oats
- ½ cup chopped lightly salted peanuts
- ½ cup walnuts and almonds roughly chopped
- ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 2 tablespoons tightly packed brown sugar
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil I used the cheap kind this time, not extra virgin
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine oats, peanuts, nuts, coconut, brown sugar, and salt. Mix the maple syrup and coconut oil in a microwave-safe cup and microwave for about 30 seconds or until coconut oil is melted. Add the vanilla and pour over the dry ingredients. Spread it all on a large, nonstick foil lined baking sheet and bake at 250F for about an hour. For a lighter colored granola, cover loosely with foil for the first 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake uncovered for the last 15 to 20.
- Granola will crisp as it cools. Let cool, leave in large chunks in airtight container. Mix with dry fruit before serving (I didn’t)
Viceroy Hotel Granola (Chef Version)
1 container (15 cups) oats
16 ounces peanuts, chopped
8 ounces Pecans / Walnuts / or Cashews
8 ounces Brown Sugar
4 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
2 cups agave nectar or maple syrup
2 cups vegetable oil
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
Dried Fruits: Cranberries, Raisins, or Currants: 4 cups
Method:
Combine oats, nuts, coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Whisk together the agave and vegetable oil. Mix dry and wet ingredients together. Spread evenly on sheet trays. Bake at 250’ F for 45 minutes to an hour. Granola should be very firm to the touch and not damp. Let cool, leave in large chunks in airtight container. Mix with dry fruit before serving.
Sue says
I was just looking at this recipe and noticed that the clump of granola in the lower right corner looks like a heart.
Katrina says
Interesting that it typed the beginning of the link I put in there like that. All I typed in the comment was www Hmmm. 😉
Katrina says
Janice--Cookie Madness always comes up first on my computer, too! 😉 I think "it" give you the most viewed websites when you start typing http://www...in your computer. 😉
Just made 1/4 of the granola, Anna. It's good. It's actually similar to the recipe I use for all my granola, but with peanuts and I did use maple syrup this time and I usually use honey or agave. This is good granola. I love the texture.
The key to a good granola, I've decided/learned is to not touch it once it comes out of the oven until it is completely cooled. It's stays clumpy that way. My mom's recipe used to have you stir it in the oven every 15 minutes for 2 hours! (At 200 degrees).
Anna says
Janice, thanks! And no, I haven't. I was obsessed with it for a while, but not so much anymore.
Janice says
Yum~ have you made it to Anguilla yet?
BTW, I love that I need only type the letter 'c' in any of my browser bars and immediately get to CM;-)
That's because yours is my fav. ,c' site.
Thanks for being you!
Angela says
There is a bed and breakfast in Laramie, Wyoming that has wonderful homemade granola. Not the primary reason we stay, but I agree it makes a real impression.
Katrina says
Yum! It looks and sounds great. I'll have to try it. I go through so much granola that I might just cut the big recipe down by half! I must only stay at cheap hotels, since all I've ever gotten is granola dumped from a box! 😉
Anna says
Cynna, I store granola in little tin tie bags like this one.
http://plasticcontainercity.com/natural-duplex-stand-up-window-bag.htm
It stays fresh for up to 10 days, but that will vary by recipe. It also freezes well.
Cynna says
That sounds delicious! Thanks for posting the recipe. Do you know the best way to store granola and also the shelf-life? Thanks!
[email protected] says
I've never thought about putting peanuts in granola, but now I'm curious enough to try it. I must say, though, that I am quite partial to my "franola." http://www.fransfavs.com/2011/04/franola/
Sue says
I'll have to give this a try. It does sound unusual.. in a good way!
Rodzilla says
Definitely love the sound of the ingredients. This made me think of Eleven Madison Park in NYC, they're known for the granola they send guests home with.
nancy baggett says
Good homemade granola is so much better than bought. And easy, too--I don't know why more people don't make it. This one sounds really good--thanks for posting.