Apple, Oat and Pumpkin Seed Breakfast Clusters
Dried apple pieces give these September breakfast clusters a chewy contrast to toasted oats and pumpkin seeds. Add the apple after baking so the small pieces stay soft. A rimmed tray and a sheet of parchment are all you need to shape the mixture into a slab that breaks into roughly six breakfast portions.
For the tray
- 200 g rolled oats and 50 g shelled pumpkin seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 60 ml maple syrup and 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 50 g soft dried apple rings, cut into pea-size pieces
Press before baking
Heat the oven to 150 C fan (170 C conventional). Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment. Mix the oats, seeds, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Stir the syrup and oil together in a cup, then pour over the dry mixture. Turn it over with a spatula until there are no powdery cinnamon patches or dry oats at the bottom.
Spread the mixture into a roughly 23 by 28 cm rectangle and press it firmly with the back of the spatula, especially around the edges. Bake for 20 to 26 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through if one side browns faster. Do not stir. Take it out when the edges are golden and the centre looks dry. It will still feel a little soft while warm.
Break it only once it is cool
Leave the slab on the tray until fully cool, then lift an edge and break it into bite-size clusters. Toss with the apple. For a crisper jar, store the clusters airtight on their own and sprinkle the chewy apple in at serving time. Spoon over plain yogurt or pour milk over a handful just before eating.
If the centre remains soft after cooling, return that section to the oven for 5 minutes at the same temperature and cool again before adding fruit. If the slab breaks into loose flakes, serve them as a topping; next time press the mixture more firmly and let it cool undisturbed.
