Food & recipes

Easy pear Bircher muesli breakfast recipe

It’s not often that hospital food becomes gourmet, but Bircher muesli was originally invented by Swiss physician Maximillian Bircher-Benner for his hospital patients over a century ago. Today the recipe, which is traditionally soaked in milk or fruit juice overnight, is enjoyed for its delicious flavour and soft, but firm, texture. The cinnamon and pear in this recipe make this ideal for winter mornings. Great for on the go breakfast, simply place in a sealed pot or plastic container with a little natural yoghurt.

It’s not often that hospital food becomes gourmet, but Bircher muesli was originally invented by Swiss physician Maximillian Bircher-Benner for his hospital patients over a century ago. Today the recipe, which is traditionally soaked in milk or fruit juice overnight, is enjoyed for its delicious flavour and soft, but firm, texture. The cinnamon and pear in this recipe make this ideal for winter mornings. Great for on the go breakfast, simply place in a sealed pot or plastic container with a little natural yoghurt.

Prep: 10 minutes + soaking time

Cook: 15 minutes

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS:

100g jumbo oats
100g mixed dried fruit (e.g. 50g dried cranberries, 50g sultanas)
25g almonds, roughly chopped
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp clear honey
200ml semi skimmed milk
2 ripe pears, cored and grated

1 Preheat the oven to 160C, gas mark 3.

2 Mix together the oats, dried fruit, almonds and cinnamon and spread out on a large baking tray. Drizzle over the honey and mix to evenly coat. Bake for 15 minutes until golden. Allow to cool.

3 Stir in the milk and allow to soak in the fridge, ideally overnight.

4 Stir in the grated pears and serve with yogurt or a little extra milk.