- 1 ½ cups blanched hazelnuts
- 2 ½ cups (7 1/2 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1 cup dried apricots
- 1 cup packed (7 ounces) brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup tahini paste
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 ½ cups (1 1/2 ounces) Rice Krispies cereal
- 1 cup dates, chopped small
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
- ½ cup vanilla-flavored halva, cut into small pieces
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 180℃ (350℉). Line a 20x30cm (9×13 inch) baking tin with perpendicular sheets of aluminum foil, with overhang on either side. Push foil into corners and up sides of the pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Lightly spray foil with vegetable oil spray.
Pulse hazelnuts in a food processor until finely chopped, 8 to 12 pulses. Spread hazelnuts, oats, and sunflower seeds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until lightly browned and fragrant, 12 to 15 minutes, stirring halfway through toasting. Reduce oven temperature to 150℃ (300℉).
While oat mixture is toasting, process apricots, sugar, and salt in the food processor until apricots are very finely ground, about 15 seconds. With the processor running, add tahini and water. Continue to process until homogeneous paste forms, about 1 minute longer. Transfer paste to a large, wide bowl.
Add warm oat mixture to the bowl and stir with a rubber spatula until well coated. Add cereal, dates, mini chocolate chips and halvah and stir (or use your hands) until ingredients are evenly mixed. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Press and smooth very firmly with your hands, especially at edges and corners, until granola is level and compact. Bake granola until fragrant and just beginning to brown around edges, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely, remove foil and transfer the granola to the cutting board. Using a chef’s knife, cut granola into granola bar sized rectangles. Granola bars can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.)
