Salted Caramel Granola

By CheeseDiva

Ingredients

• 2 c. sugar
• 1 Tbs. lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
• 2 c. milk
• 4 Tbs butter
• 1 Tbs salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 scoop protein powder (optional)
• 4 c. GF rolled oats
• 1 c. pepitas (or other nut or seed)
• 3 Tbs flax meal (or seeds)
• more salt to taste

Details

Servings 1
Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 80mins
Adapted from flippindelicious.com

Preparation

Step 1

Instructions
For the Caramel Sauce

Heat the milk in the microwave or over low heat. (heating it will prevent the milk from curdling. If it curdles a little it will be ok, just strain it.) I don't think you'd have the same problem with a non-dairy milk. You just want a nice simmer about the same time the sugar is all melted.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan mix together the sugar and vinegar or lemon juice together (it should look like wet sand.) Heat over medium-high heat until it starts to melt. Stir and break up any clumps until you have smooth (and very hot) melted sugar that is about the color of a penny (nice dark amber/copper color.)

Add the milk and stir over medium low heat until smooth (the melted sugar will seize up a bit but will melt back into the milk.)

Swirl in the butter 1 Tbs at a time until it is all melted, season with the salt.

Pour the caramel sauce through a sieve to get out any clumps or curdled milk.
For the Granola

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a large bowl mix together all of the granola ingredients. Mix 1 scoop of protein powder (optional) into the caramel sauce and mix until smooth. Pour the caramel sauce over the granola ingredients and mix to coat. Salt to taste.

Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat (optional) and spread the granola evenly on the pan.

Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pan, bake for another 10 minutes. Turn the oven open, crack open the oven for 1 minute, then shut the door and let the granola cool in the oven for another 40 minutes (approx.)

Let cool and then break the granola into large chunks.

Keeps at room temperature for up to several weeks (it only lasts 3 days at our house.)