The Humble Flapjack

So it’s 9.30am I wander into the kitchen for some breakfast. Check the bread bin…empty. Look for cereal…none. Try the fridge…some ravioli and spring onions but no eggs nor anything remotely breakfasty. Damn. I’m hungry.

Some porridge oats catch my eye. Bleugh, I hate porridge. It’s something about the gloopy texture that really puts me off….

Flapjacks on the other hand… Yummy!

But do I have the ingredients?! An almost frantic search of the cupboards uncovers half a bottle of golden syrup and 3 almost empty packets of various types of sugar as well as some seeds, dried fruit and chopped hazelnuts. Goodness this might even turn out to be a little bit healthy!

Twenty-five minutes later and I’m eating the most delicious, warm, crumbly flapjack.
Best breakfast in a long time!

Flapjacks
Makes 12

• 75g sugar (I used light brown and granulated but it works best with golden caster sugar)
• 75g golden syrup
• 100g butter
• 225g oats or 175g of oats plus a 50g mix of seeds, dried fruit, nuts etc

Preheat the oven to 180C.
Melt the butter, sugar and syrup over a low heat until all is melted and the mixture is well combined, looking like a dark caramel sauce.
Take off the heat and add the oats (and seeds etc if using). Mix well until everything is coated in the “sauce”.
Line a 15x20cm baking tin with baking paper and add the mixture. Smooth it into an even layer. The mixture should be about 3-5cm deep*. Bake in the middle of the oven for approximately 15-20 minutes or until the top is looking golden brown all over.
Remove from the oven and wait 5 minutes before cutting into squares. Leave to cool completely in the tin or if you haven’t had any breakfast yet eat while they’re still warm for a delicious crumbly mess!
*Note: If the mixture is shallower, then the cooking time is best reduced by 5 minutes and the flapjacks checked regularly thereafter to avoid ending up with a flapjack similar to rock candy. I speak from experience.

Ever tried Flapjacks for breakfast?