When two warming flavors come together, it can only end up in a delicious concoction! This chocolate ginger granola is a good example: it is not too sweet, has a bit of spice and the richness of dark cacao.
Now I have to say, a while ago the idea of combinig ginger and chocolate seemed to as attractive as doing so with mint and chocolate. Namely, not at all. As you can probably imagine, the issue was not the chocolate, but the cristalized ginger. I could never understand how people would have handfuls of cristalized ginger (hey there, dad!) and ACTUALLY liked it. Too spicy, oddly sweet and just…not good. My view on the dried version of ginger stayed like that for as long as I can remember.
But then I once snagged a piece of a chocolate my mum had bought. It was a dark one with pieces of cristalized ginger. And guess what? Love at first sight. Maybe not head over toes, but I really enjoyed it. The slight spiciness didn’t bother me at all and it was just the perfect warming taste I wanted. So I thought of creating something I could enjoy for breakfast that would resemble this exact coziness!
Everything you need to know about this chocolate and ginger granola
Most of the time when I make granolas at home and do not follow another recipe, I like to keep my base the same: oats and some puffed grains. To make this chocolate and ginger granola a chocolate version, we add some cacao powder as wel as some grated fresh ginger. When it comes to muesli I prefer having different textures and the combination of those two creates the perfect crunchiness. Plus there are also some cacao nibs for extra cacao flavor.
Dates are a great way to add a good amount of sweetness without making it too overwhelming. I have to say, even though I love adding chocolate to my granolas here and there or make them sweeter, most of the time I just keep the sweetness level rather low. That way I can always adjust afterwards how much more sweet I would like my breakfast to be.
Also, another obligatory ingredient for a delicious granola is dried fruit, which adds up the sweet taste as well. In this version I went for cristalized ginger. Now, just be warned: The ginger in the chocolate granola base is not too overwhelming. It may sound like a little experiment, but you will not be disrupted by the subtle taste. The addition of cristalized ginger however might not be for everyone.
If you are not sure wheter you like it or not, I suggest you leave out the ginger first and try adding a small amount to a portion. If the flavor speaks to you, add the ginger to the whole granola batch. You could also start with chocolate covered ginger which I personally find not too strong!
Well then, let’s get started and make some delicious chocolate ginger granola, shall we?
Chocolate ginger granola
Ingredients
- 200 g rolled oats (gluten free if needed)
- 50 g puffed grains *
- 3 Tbsp (30g) raw cacao powder
- 2 Tbsp (20g) coconut (or brown) sugar
- 1/4 Tsp cinnamon
- 100 g dates already pitted**
- 2 Tbsp (30g) Tahini***
- 1/2 Cup (120ml) water
- 1 1/2 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 1/2 Tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 Cup+ 1 Tbsp (40g) cacao nibs
- 1/3 Cup (around 70g) cristalized ginger****
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C.
- Blend the dates together with the water, Tahini, vanilla extract and ginger until it is smooth and creamy.
- In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients (oats, puffed grains, cacao powder, cinnamon and sugar)
- Add the date paste and stir until well combined. Spread the mixture out onto a lined baking tray in a rectangle.
- Reduce the temperature to 180C and bake everything for 25-30 minutes. Halfway through, break the rectangle into pieces using a wooden spoon. Check on the granola from then on every few minutes and stir it.
- Once ready, let everything cool completely. Add the cacao nibs and crystallized/ chocolate covered ginger if using. Store in an airtight container or jar. Enjoy!
