Banana Granola

Ingredients

• For the granola:
• 14 ounces banana purée, from very black bananas, fresh or frozen
• 1/2 ounce vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 12 ounces old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant, quick, or steel-cut
• 1 1/2 ounces toasted wheat germ, such as Mother's
• 1 ounce ground flaxseeds, such as Spectrum
• 1/2 ounce chia seeds, such as Nutiva
• 7 ounces plain or toasted sugar
• 3 ounces refined or virgin coconut oil, melted
• For the mix-ins:
• 2 ounces raw pumpkin seeds
• 2 ounces raw walnuts
• 2 1/2 ounces roughly chopped macadamia nuts
• 2 1/4 ounces pecan pieces
• 1 teaspoon neutral oil, such as safflower
• 1/8 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight
• 4 ounces dried mangos, sliced into bite-size pieces
• 3 ounces dried tart cherries
• 2 ounces dried blueberries
• Freeze-dried bananas, to taste, from brands, such as Natierra

Directions

1. Put the banana purée in a medium bowl with the vanilla, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, then work it with a fork until the mixture is completely smooth. If you would rather skip the fork workout, use a food processor or an immersion blender. Add the rolled oats, wheat germ, flaxseed, and chia, and fold everything together with a flexible spatula. Cover the bowl with plastic and let it sit until the oats have firmed up and look dry, about 30 minutes. Mix in the sugar, cover again, and leave it until the sugar has dissolved, about 30 minutes more. Stir in the melted coconut oil last.
2. While the oats are resting, move an oven rack to the center and heat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). On a parchment-lined half-sheet pan, gather the pumpkin seeds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, and pecans, then toast them until they smell nutty and are just starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Tip them into a large bowl, toss with a teaspoon of oil, and sprinkle with salt. Mix in the dried mangos, dried cherries, and dried blueberries.
3. Lower the oven to 300 degrees F (149 degrees C). Once the melted coconut oil has been stirred into the granola mixture, scrape it onto the same parchment-lined half-sheet pan used for the nuts. Smooth it out into an even layer. Bake until the granola is evenly golden and feels dry, about 110 minutes, taking the pan out every 25 minutes or so to stir thoroughly with a pair of forks. Each time, move the granola from the edges toward the middle and from the middle out to the edges, so the whole batch bakes and dries evenly.
4. When the oats are deep golden brown and dry to the touch, though they may still feel a bit soft, transfer them to the bowl with the fruit and nuts. Fold with a flexible spatula until everything is combined, then spread the granola back onto the baking sheet in an even layer to cool, about 45 minutes. Once it has cooled, stir in the freeze-dried bananas, if using, and move the granola to an airtight container. Kept airtight at cool room temperature, the granola will keep up to 6 weeks.