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Why Roasted Almond Crunch is the Acai Bowl Granola
By: Admin On: 23 October 2024
Because nothing but our Roasted Almond Crunch will do. The best acai bowl granola needs to tick all the boxes. If you want them to be the best then you must be sure you are getting it right.
The best acai bowl granola needs to tick certain boxes. If you want them to be the best in the business, the one your customers keep returning for, you must be sure you are getting it right.
These days, competition is fierce, and great health credentials are no longer enough. Across Australia the demand for acai bowls continues, yet what was once the darling of the diet crowd has crossed over into dessert territory too.
Piling as many superfood ingredients as you can into a bowl of frozen acai puree will no longer cut it. Today's acai bowl is a carefully balanced textural treat that needs true attention to detail.
So let's revisit some basics.
What is an Acai Bowl?
An acai bowl is a refreshing, vibrant and nutritious dish enjoyed in cafes across Australia. It is similar to a smoothie bowl, but the frozen base is always centred around acai and is often thicker and creamier.
Once popular because of the superfood status of the acai berries, and piled with other beneficial goodies, the acai bowl is now a standard part of the Australian food lexicon. Sweet, but not too sweet. Creamy, not cloying. The acai bowl is all about contrast and creating sensation.
What is an acai bowl made of?
An acai bowl typically starts with a base of frozen acai berries, blended until smooth and creamy. This base can be mixed with other fruits like bananas or berries to enhance the flavour and texture.
The base is then piled with a variety of toppings. Always fresh fruit, such as berries, tropical fruit, or banana. Granola, adds crunch and that all-important moreish quality. Some form of drizzle, such as honey or nut butter, adds extra interest. On top of that, all sorts of bits and pieces can be added, in the form of nuts, seeds etc.
What is the acai in an acai bowl
Wait, what exactly is acai?
Acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) is a small, dark purple berry from the acai palm tree, native to the rainforests of South America, particularly Brazil. These berries have been valued for centuries by local communities for their nutritional properties and energy-boosting capabilities. Acai berries are celebrated for their high levels of antioxidants, fibre, and heart-healthy fats.
They have an earthy taste, often described as a mix between wild berries and chocolate, which makes them a unique and delicious ingredient in various dishes. In an acai bowl, the berries are typically used in a frozen puree form to maintain their nutritional integrity and deliver that smooth, creamy consistency that acai bowl lovers crave.
Why Your Acai Bowl Granola is SO Important
As one of the key ingredients in any self-respecting acai bowl, it is important to get the granola just right. Despite the prevalence of alternative types of granola (many of which we make, and champion, ourselves) what you need here is a classic granola. Moreish, crunchy, crispy oat clusters.
Understand this. Whilst the acai may be the creamy frozen base, it is the granola which provides the essential background flavour that everything else sits upon. It is the comforting blanket of neutral flavour that everything else sits upon. A pleasing oatiness that ties it all together.
The granola is also THE provider of textural contrast. And what you are looking for here is a crispy cluster to sit against that cold creamy base. Not only does it need to feel like granola, but it needs to keep feeling like granola.
What you don't want is other ingredients in your granola that will confuse things. You want complete control over the textural elements of your dish. That means no bits of dried fruit that become impossible to chew, or random seeds to munch through.
This is why our roasted almond crunch is the original and best acai bowl granola.
How to Make the Perfect Acai Bowl
The perfect acai bowl is a masterclass in balancing texture and flavour. A feat of satisfying simplicity. Like any dish, if you throw too much at it the balance will be lost. Balance is the key to holding the customers' attention and keeping them coming back for more.
Blend your base
Start with a high-quality acai puree. Blend with a splash of your preferred liquid—coconut water, almond milk, or even a bit of fruit juice, and frozen banana. Keep the consistency thick and creamy, not watery.
Texturally you want it to be super smooth, and thick enough to be spoonable.
From a taste perspective, you want to strike a balance between the sharp fruity notes of the acai and the creamy sweetness of banana. However you want to swing that balance is up to you, but it helps create a signature style for your dish.
Add your fruit
Instead of layering fruit then granola, or the other way around, try to put these ingredients on the same layer. Think wide-mouth bowl rather than layered parfait glass.
Cover half to two-thirds of the surface with chopped or sliced fresh fruit. Consider how the way you chop the fruit will affect the texture, and which flavours will balance well with the base. Keep it simple with one or two fruits.
Add your granola
Fill the remaining section with a generous amount of roasted almond crunch granola. It needs to be on top of the acai for the best contrast. Under the fruit, it is more likely to go soggy. On top of the fruit, it loses some of that all-important contrast. That is why it is best placed next to the fruit.
Add a drizzle
A considered drizzle can make all the difference. A simple spoonful of honey, or thinned-down nut butter.
Consider extras carefully
This part is really important, and you need to keep that balance in mind. You may want to add visual interest or boost the nutritional value, by adding a final garnish. Choosing an uncomplicated classic granola gives you greater creative control over the decisions you make at this stage.
At this stage, anything you add can contribute nicely with an element of interest, or it could push your carefully considered balance out of alignment. Again, keep it simple. One carefully chosen ingredient will have far more impact than many.
Think about the slightly bitter chocolatey crunch of cacao nibs. Or a light scatter of chia seeds. Something like pepitas would be more noticeable, but perhaps that is exactly the kind of punctuation you want to achieve.
Serve immediately
Finally, that lovely frozen goodness is not going to hang about. So you need work quickly, and get it out to the customer pronto.
How to make acai bowls thicker
To make acai bowls thicker, start by managing the liquid content carefully. The more liquid you add, the thinner the consistency will be, so keep it minimal. Using frozen acai puree instead of powder will immediately give you a thicker base.
A common trick is to blend the acai with just a small splash of liquid, such as almond milk or juice, controlling the amount to achieve the desired thickness. Adding frozen bananas helps create a thicker texture and a creamier mouthfeel. For an even denser consistency, a spoonful of nut butter like almond or peanut butter works wonders.
These ingredients work together to give your acai bowl a spoonable thickness that holds up against your crispy granola for the perfect bite every time.
The final word
As we have seen, carefully thinking about the details of any dish can make all the difference. And if you want your menu items to truly stand out in today's uber-competitive environment then it is worth taking the extra time and trouble to put a bit of extra thought behind them.
Why not give our roasted almond crunch granola a go, and see if you agree that it is THE acai bowl granola? We also have plenty of other healthy cereal products for your breakfast menu.