RECIPE: Festive Flapjacks

This year we had to put the decorations up a little early because something unusual and very exciting was happening in the village (top secret for the moment, sorry). I’m not a big fan of Christmas starting too early; in fact I’m a bit of a Grinch in November but when December hits, I’m all over it. So the early start meant I have more time to devote to Christmas BAKING. Who doesn’t love a bit of Christmas baking? As I type, Ian is making his Special Christmas Sausage Rolls, I have never tasted better, honest. You can try them yourself as he kindly published the secret recipe in a previous blog.

This morning, however, I felt the need for a flapjack energy boost and then I thought, lets make ‘em festive. A Festive Flapjack. Yes. Please. To be clear, I don’t like the hard crunchy flapjack, I like them moist and gooey, do you know what I mean? Good, now pop your pinny on.

EQUIPMENT

20cm square backing tin lined with baking paper

INGERDIENTS

• 175g (6oz) butter

• 175g (6oz) golden syrup

• 175g (6oz) brown sugar

• 350g (12oz) porridge oats

• Finely grated zest of one orange

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• A handful of roasted flaked almonds

• A handful of dried Cranberries

METHOD

Pre-heat oven to 150ºc 300ºf

Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Once it is almost melted, add the sugar and the golden syrup and stir gently until the sugar has dissolved.

In a mixing bowl, pour in the porridge oats. Add the melted butter, syrup and sugar mix. Then add the orange zest, cinnamon, flaked almonds and dried cranberries and mix well. You can also add other dried fruits that you have in your store cupboard such as apricots, dates, sultanas. 

Pour the mixture into the baking tin. Spread evenly and pack it down. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, until the edges are starting to brown.

Once cooked, leave to cool for 10 minutes then turn out onto a board and slice into squares. Enjoy with a coffee or a chilled glass of Amontillado sherry; well, it’s Christmas, why not? Feliz Navidad!