Overnight Oats, Six Ways

The ratio is what matters and everything else is a variation. One part oats to two parts liquid, left overnight in the fridge, gives a spoonable texture by morning. Half that liquid as yoghurt gives it body and a sourness that stops the whole thing tasting like wallpaper paste.

The six finishes

Frozen berries stirred through the night before, so they bleed as they thaw. Toasted flaked almonds and a grating of orange zest. Grated apple with cinnamon. Tahini and date syrup. Frozen mango with lime. Cocoa and a spoonful of peanut butter, which sounds like a child’s breakfast and is the one people ask about.

Batch it properly

Four jars on a Sunday night takes ten minutes and holds for three days. Past three days the oats keep absorbing and you end up with something closer to a pudding than a breakfast, which is not a disaster but is not what you planned.