A Swiss Tradition: Bircher Muesli

I know, I know, most of us can't even pronounce it properly, but what the heck, it is a lovely start of the day, admittedly not as healthy anymore as the original one.

The original one comes from the Bircher Clinic, a luxurious retreat of the rich and famous in Zurich when they want to loose weight. In these retreat Dr. Bircher concocted this lovely breakfast containing oats, loads of grated apples, nuts, raisins and milk. That's it, no more! Yes like I said, it is to loose weight and live healthy.

Now there is of course a modern version (there are many, many modern versions by the way) but this one is really so delicious, you will not be able to resist.

The main ingredients are still the same, oats, milk, apples and nuts, but now comes the difference, I put in yogurt, sugar, honey, other fruit and to top it off, just before serving a little bit of whipped cream. This is decadent, I know, but once you try it, then you will be addicted to it, totally and forever.

Now here is the recipe for 10 Friends

200 g (9 oz) Oats
50 g (2 oz) Sugar
25 g (1 oz) Honey
500 ml (0.5 quart) Milk
500 g (0.5 quart) Yogurt, plain unsweetened
450 g (1 lb) Apples
50 g (2 oz) Raisins
100 g (3.5 oz) Hazelnuts, ground
30 ml (1 oz) Lemon Juice

2 Bananas
Fresh Berries
Any other fruit

60 ml (2oz) Whipped Cream

Method
Mix the oats with sugar, milk, honey and yogurt
Wash the apples and then grate them with the skin into the Muesli, mix again
Add raisins and hazelnuts
Leave it for a couple of hours to rest, if needed add a bit more milk

The fresh fruit and berries are optional as well, but will enhance the Bircher Muesli so much, I always say the more fruit the better it will be

Whip the cream and carefully fold into the Muesli

Serve and enjoy