Chewy Or Crunchy Flapjacks Recipes

FLAPJACKS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas 4 and line the base and sides of the baking tin with baking paper.
• To make it easy to measure golden syrup from a tin, first heat a tablespoon in a mug of boiling water for a minute before using. If you have digital scales, place a small pan on the scales, making sure they are registering zero, and use the hot spoon to scoop the syrup from the tin and into the pan. Re-set the scales to zero and add the demerara sugar and unsalted butter. Set the pan over a low heat to melt the butter and dissolve the sugar. Stir until smooth and remove from the heat.
• Mix the porridge oats, mixed seeds, ginger and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the melted butter mixture and stir well to thoroughly combine. Spoon into the prepared tin and press level with the back of a spoon.
• Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until starting to firm, remembering to use the shorter cooking time for more chewy flapjacks and the longer time if you prefer them crisper. The flapjacks will firm up and crisp as they cool.
• Remove from the oven and mark the flapjack into squares. Cool in the tin on a wire rack.Photography: Amanda Heywood © Hodder & Stoughton

EASY FLAPJACK RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180c conventional oven
• Grease and line the base and sides of an 8 inch square loose bottomed baking tin with baking parchment. The baking parchment is essential as it makes it easier to lift the flapjacks out of the tin once they have cooled.
• If you don't have an 8 inch square tin, use one of a similar volume in size eg 8 x 8 = 64 square inches. I was never good at maths, so I hope you get the idea.
• Melt the butter, sugar, and syrup in a large pan over a very gentle heat until all the sugar and butter have melted. DO NOT BOIL THE MIXTURE. This is most likely the reason why some flapjacks turn out hard and difficult to eat.
• Add the flour, salt, and oats. Mix thoroughly until everything is covered in the syrup mixture. It helps to give the dry ingredients a little mix before adding to the syrup.
• Spread the mixture evenly and firmly into the prepared tin. The mixture is a little runny, but you will still need to press the mixture down firmly as this will help prevent the flapjacks from falling apart after baking.
• Bake in the centre of the oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until baked and golden brown in colour.
• Remove from the oven. Leave to cool a little before partially slicing the top into bars. DO NOT CUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH. You need the flapjacks to set and cool completely before doing that.
• The mixture will still be hot and very sticky, so take care, especially when baking with children.
• Now that the flapjacks have cooled completely, you can complete to process of slicing them into bars. They will feel soft and chewy. And should not fall apart.
• Keep in an airtight container with a sheet of baking parchment wrapped around them, to help keep them moist and chewy.