Best Flapjack Recipe in the Whole Wide World. Ever.

I take flapjacks very seriously. I have spent the past 6 years or so trying every recipe I stumbled upon with very varied results.

Either too dry, too plain, too sweet, too crumbly, too dull, too greasy, too sticky (never thought that would be a problem as I love ’em gooey). Anyway, I’m rambling. The search is over. This is the one.

In this recipe the bulk of sweetness is provided by the fruit meaning that the fat, sugar & syrup levels have been reduced right down without affecting the ‘hold’ or taste of the finished item. I often chuck in some spice too, I’m not pernikety about how much – just lobb it in till it looks, feels & smells right. Try Cinnamon, Nutmeg or Mixed Spice. If you try anything else and it works please let me know.

The Flapjack Ingredients…

225g/8oz dried dates (maybe also try prunes, apricots or whatever you have in)

175g/6oz Butter (Marg works fine too)

3 tbsp Golden Syrup (honey is also nice, tastes less sweet and more ‘wholesome’)

3oz Sugar – Muscavado is best but any sugar is just fine.

12oz Oats – Use rolled, porridge, whatever you have – I’ve even made it with some muesli that had been lingering in the cupboard too long

The Flapjack Recipe…

Preheat to Gas 5/190/Fan 170

Heat the dried fruit in a pan with a splash of water/fruit juice for 5 minutes or so and mash with the back of a fork till all squidged & gooey.

In a big pan melt the butter, syrup & sugar till liquified (oooh, never used that word in a sentence before)

Stir in the oats & spice if you are using & mix till all the oats are coated. I always steal a taste at this point although this it’s not compulsory, just greedy.

Spoon half the mix into a greased baking tin, my one is about 8″ square but play around with the tins you have.

Press down till nice and flat then dollop in the fruity sticky goo and press that down too.

Finally top with the second half of the oaty mix and press down again.

I have been known to sprinkle more sugar over the top to give a nice crunchy crust but you won’t be disappointed if you skip this step. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes till golden.

Take out of the oven and score into squares as big as you like. Turn out onto a cooling rack and when cool break up into the squares and stash.

As a ‘Chefs Treat’ try scooping the crumbs up that are left on your counter after making these and sprinkle them over a bowl of rich vanilla ice cream. Just heavenly…