Tropical flavours of palm sugar syrup, toasted coconut and macadamia nuts flourish in this recipe. It is based on the muesli served to me at the Honeymoon Guest House in Bali and I love its intense coconut flavour and content. Served with the fruit salad and plenty of yoghurt, this makes a refreshing start to Christmas day.

Ingredients

Palm sugar syrup

• 200 grams palm sugar, coarsely chopped or ¾ cup brown or demerara saugar
• ¾ cup water, pineapple or lychee juice

Muesli

• 3 cups whole grain oats
• 4-6 cups flaked or thread coconut
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup peanuts, blanched and unsalted
• 1 cup macadamia nuts or almonds
• ¼ cup sesame seeds, toasted

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 140ºC. Line a large shallow-sided baking tray with baking paper.
2. Place the sugar and water into a saucepan and warm over a low heat stirring until dissolved. Remove from the heat.
3. Toss together the whole grain oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, peanuts and macadamia nuts with the palm sugar syrup. Arrange the mixture on the prepared tray.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, turning regularly until the mixture is golden. Allow to cool before stirring in the toasted sesame seeds. Keep in an airtight container away from direct sunlight.
5. Serve with the passionfruit yoghurt (see recipe on our website).

Cooks Tips

- You will find flaked coconut in Asian stores or where there is a Pacific Is market. Otherwise look for coconut thread, which is frequently available in supermarkets. Keep coconut in the refrigerator or freezer as in summer it can go rancid. - Use wholegrain or jumbo oats for the muesli. Rolled oats are too well milled for this muesli and could easily burn when cooking. Variations: - Use pumpkin seeds in place of sunflower seeds. - Make a vanilla and palm-sugar syrup. Add 1 tablespoon of vanilla essence to the syrup.