#1,642: Strawberry Chocolate Granola Clusters

I am going to strongly encourage you NOT to make this recipe.  Why is that you might ask?  Because you will eat the entire pan.  No joke, these are addicting and you can't stop eating them.  My kids didn't like them as much as I did, so I won't be making these again because I know I will be the only one who will devour these babies.  BUT if someone happened to make them for me, I would gladly and happy enjoy these...just to be nice.  :)  SOOOOO good. 

The only problem I had with this recipe is that it turned out nothing like the original photo.  As soon as I stirred these the chocolate melted (duh) all over the granola and turned everything brown and chocolate coated.  Not complaining about that but the photo is slightly misleading. 

2 Tbsp coconut oil

4 Tbsp honey

1 egg white

2 cups Bob's Red Mill Old Country Style Muesli (I used organic granola)

2½ Tbsp homemade oat flour (grind up 2 1/2 tbsp of oats)

1 cup dehydrated strawberries

⅔ cup chocolate chips

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp salt, for finishing (optional)

Preheat the oven to 250F.  Combine coconut oil and honey in a small bowl and warm either over a double boiler or microwave so that it is just melted, but not too hot. Whisk well. Set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, combine meusli, oat flour, dehydrated strawberries, chocolate chips and ½ tsp salt in a large bowl. Stir to combine well.

Add egg white to oil/honey and whisk to combine. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a spatula to combine well. You want the entire mixture to be moistened, so make sure there is no remnant of a dried flour on anything.

Pour granola mixture onto a non-stick cookie sheet and press together to form a large rectangle, about ½" high. Pressing the granola together ensures more clusters in the end.

Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until medium brown.

Using a pancake turner, gently flip the granola one section at a time. It helps to visually divide the rectangle into six equal sections, and flipping one section at a time. Do your best to keep each section together, rather than haphazardly flipping and letting the oats fall all over the place.

Once each section has been flipped, use the spatula to press any rouge pieces of granola back into the rectangle. Top with remaining ¼ tsp of salt if using. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until it is medium golden brown. If it takes longer than 30 minutes, check on the granola every 2-4 minutes to prevent burning.

Pull the granola from the oven and set on a cooling rack to cool for 2 hours. Do not touch the granola! It will harden into clusters as it cools, so it is imperative that you be patient as it cools.

After 2 hours, gently break the granola into clusters and store in a container with a lid for up to 2 weeks (if it lasts that long).