Homemade Nutty Bran Flakes
 
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Cook time
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These flakes are SO MUCH BETTER than the stale boxed kind, you'll be amazed. The only downside is that this recipe uses two full baking sheets and only makes 3-4 bowls of cereal. If you have the stamina for an all-day baking project, I'd grab out all your baking sheets and make a day of it, doubling or tripling the recipe. They really are delicious!
Author:
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup bran
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/3 cup almond flour (or other finely ground nuts)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup water
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and add milk and water. Stir to mix well. The resulting mixture will be a very wet “dough” (so wet, you can hardly call it a dough). Cut two sheets of parchment paper to fit two baking sheets, and set one sheet of parchment paper on the counter where you’ll be rolling — you won’t be able to transfer it without this!
  2. Glop half of the “dough” out onto the sheet of parchment paper and flatten it by hand. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the dough and “roll” it out (your rolling pin will almost just be smooshing it out into place) EXTREMELY THIN, almost transparent in some places. It will look like a giant bran flake — super fun!
  3. Remove the plastic wrap and transfer the parchment carefully to a baking sheet. Cook for 10 minutes, but check often after just 5, because such a thin dough can easily burn. You’re looking for a thin, leathery cracker that is crunchy at the edges. When it’s done, remove it and allow it to cool completely. While it cools, repeat the process with the other half of the dough.
  4. After both giant bran flakes have finished their first bake, reduce the oven temperature to 275 degrees. Tear the first, cooled bran flake into regular bran flake-sized pieces (about 3/4 of an inch), spreading them out on the parchment-covered baking sheet.
  5. Bake at the reduced temperature for 20 minutes, flipping and stirring the flakes around every 5 minutes. Repeat process with the second cooled, giant bran flake. Then allow all bran flakes to cool completely. Store well in a sealed container for up to two weeks.
Recipe by Willow Bird Baking at http://willowbirdbaking.com/2010/08/11/48-homemade-breakfast-cereals/