Simple steps to flapjacks

MENTION flapjacks and most people would think of pancakes.

That is probably because we have become so familiar with American culture that we do not realise that in the United Kingdom, it refers to a completely different dish.

Flapjacks are known as granola bars in the United States, often made with oats, butter, brown sugar and syrup.

Other variations may include nuts, dried fruits and chocolate chips, and may be coated with melted chocolate, yoghurt or caramel.

The texture may range from soft and moist to dry and crisp, and despite the high fat and sugar content, some supermarket flapjack or granola bars may claim to be low fat or low sugar.

Here’s a shout-out to Rohan Selva who initiated my dabble into this dish.

He has been experimenting on bars with less sugar, but the problem with reducing the sugar content is that you are also lessening the glue needed for the ingredients to stick together.

Flapjacks contain gluten-free ingredients and you may add up to two cups of a combination of nuts and fruits to complement its nutritional value.

One of the ways that Rohan keeps the bars together is to blitz all the dry ingredients in a food processor.

That way, the sugar will have a chance to combine with the grains and form a block that can be cut.

However, if you are like me and prefer a bit of bite in your flapjack, then do not grind the rolled oats or porridge oats.

I have used organic wholegrain rolled oats before but find that the sugar does not stick well to the bran surrounding the oat grains.

Coarsely chopped nuts, as well as whole seeds and fruits should be stirred into the melted sugar first to help them adhere to the oats.

This recipe is essentially gluten-free, but if you do not want your flapjack to be too crunchy, you can add up to two tablespoons of self-raising flour into the mixture to soften them.

That will introduce gluten into the flapjacks and make them less crunchy.

Try not to reduce any more sugar than what this recipe indicates or the bars will simply fall apart.

And if all else fails, at least you have a fresh batch of nice and crunchy confectionery that you can use as a breakfast muesli with cold milk.

That is how my wife consumed all my failed attempts at making solid granola bars aka flapjacks.

Also known as granola bars in the US, you can snack on these healthy treats any time of the day.

Flapjack (granola bars in US)

Ingredients

90g golden syrup, molasses or honey90g brown sugar

125g unsalted butter

½ cup pumpkin seeds

½ cup almond nibs, or any chopped nuts

½ cup dried cranberries or any dried fruits, chopped

½ cup ground almonds

250g rolled oats

¼ tsp cinnamon powder, optional

¼ tsp nutmeg powder, optional

¼ tsp salt to taste, optional

Method

Line a shallow 20cmx30cm cake tray with baking paper (parchment).

Combine the syrup, sugar and butter in a saucepan and heat gently until the ingredients meld together in a light simmer.

Add pumpkin seeds, almond nibs and chopped fruits, and stir until completely coated with the melted sugars.

Stir in ground almonds, oats and seasoning, and mix well.

Transfer into the prepared tray and smooth the surface with a spatula, then compact them with a flat baking tray.

Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C for about 30 minutes.

Leave to cool in the tray for about five minutes.

Then transfer onto a cutting board and mark into 18 to 24 bars.

Leave to cool completely for about an hour, then cut along the marked lines.

Store in an airtight container to keep them crispy for about a week.