Flapjacks
by Regula Ysewijn, featured in Oats in the North, Wheat from the South: The History of British Baking, Savoury and Sweet Published by Murdoch BooksIntroduction
Many English friends really love Flapjacks. You can buy them at almost any bakery, but they are so simple to make yourself that you will never buy them again. A Flapjack is actually a muesli bar made with oats, sugar, syrup and butter. A Flapjack is a blank canvas — often nuts, currants, other dried fruits and chocolate are added, but you can get creative and add whatever you like. I’ve given some suggestions below.
‘Come, thou shalt go home, and we’ll have flesh for holidays, fish for fasting-days, and moreo’er puddings and flap-jacks; and thou shalt be welcome.’ From Pericles, Prince of Tyre, by William Shakespeare.
Many English friends really love Flapjacks. You can buy them at almost any bakery, but they are so simple to make yourself that you will never buy them again. A Flapjack is actually a muesli bar made with oats, sugar, syrup and butter. A Flapjack is a blank canvas — often nuts, currants, other dried fruits and chocolate are added, but you can get creative and add whatever you like. I’ve given some suggestions below.
‘Come, thou shalt go home, and we’ll have flesh for holidays, fish for fasting-days, and moreo’er puddings and flap-jacks; and thou shalt be welcome.’ From Pericles, Prince of Tyre, by William Shakespeare.
Ingredients
Makes: 8-10 bars
- 220 grams rolled oats or spelt flakes
- 200 grams butter
- 100 grams golden syrup or maple syrup or honey
- 50 grams soft brown sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- butter (for greasing)
- flour (for dusting)
- chocolate chips (optional)
- 7¾ ounces quick-cooking oats or spelt flakes
- 7 ounces butter
- 3½ ounces golden syrup or light corn syrup or maple syrup or honey
- 1¾ ounces soft brown sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- butter (for greasing)
- flour (for dusting)
- chocolate chips (optional)
Method
Flapjacks is a guest recipe by Regula Ysewijn so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe
You will need a 20 cm (8 inch) square cake tin.
- Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) and prepare the cake tin as follow. Apply a thin layer of butter with a folded sheet of paper towel and divide it nicely into the corners of the baking tin. Apply a strip of baking paper in the tin that covers two sides and protrudes slightly above the top of the tin so that you can remove the flapjacks more easily after baking. Dust the lined tin with flour, hold the tin above your workbench or sink and tap on the bottom to remove the excess flour.
- Put the oats in a blender and blitz for 3 seconds (skip this step if you are using fine rolled oats).
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat (make sure it does not bubble). Add the golden syrup, sugar and salt and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the oats or spelt flakes, plus any other optional ingredients, and stir well.
- Firmly press the mixture into the tin so the top is even. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20–30 minutes.
- For a chocolate topping, add the chocolate chips as soon as the flapjacks come out of the oven. Once they have melted, use a spatula to spread the chocolate.
- Leave the flapjacks to cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Using the baking paper, carefully lift the flapjack out of the tin and cut it into bars or squares.
Variations: add a handful of chocolate chips, chopped pecans, cranberries, dried blueberries, dried apricots or currants, or replace the oats or spelt flakes with your favourite muesli.
You will need a 20 cm (8 inch) square cake tin.
- Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) and prepare the cake tin as follow. Apply a thin layer of butter with a folded sheet of paper towel and divide it nicely into the corners of the baking tin. Apply a strip of baking paper in the tin that covers two sides and protrudes slightly above the top of the tin so that you can remove the flapjacks more easily after baking. Dust the lined tin with flour, hold the tin above your workbench or sink and tap on the bottom to remove the excess flour.
- Put the oats in a blender and blitz for 3 seconds (skip this step if you are using fine quick-cooking oats).
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat (make sure it does not bubble). Add the golden syrup or light corn syrup, sugar and salt and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the oats or spelt flakes, plus any other optional ingredients, and stir well.
- Firmly press the mixture into the tin so the top is even. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20–30 minutes.
- For a chocolate topping, add the chocolate chips as soon as the flapjacks come out of the oven. Once they have melted, use a spatula to spread the chocolate.
- Leave the flapjacks to cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Using the baking paper, carefully lift the flapjack out of the tin and cut it into bars or squares.
Variations: add a handful of chocolate chips, chopped pecans, cranberries, dried blueberries, dried apricots or currants, or replace the oats or spelt flakes with your favourite muesli.
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What 1 Other has said
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Posted by doug212 on 6th May 2020
Show more commentsThis recipe just ticks all my boxes as to what a flapjack should be. No matter what your idea of a perfect flapjack is, you will not be disappointed and will certainly make a few new friends.