Flapjacks

zippychick

How did they turn out? I've merged this with our flapjacks thread which shows you how others do it

Zip

MidLifeCrisis_3

I have tried various flapjack recipes and would love to be able to make them, but mine are always a failure as they fall apart even when left to go completely cold. I have tried porridge, rolled and value oats with no difference; the last lot I made we ate out of the dish with a spoon. Strangely enough I can't seem to make rice krispie/cornflake cakes stick together either whether using a recipe with cocoa or chocolate, marg, syrup and/or sugar. Maybe it's measuring the syrup that's crucial? I have tried 2 different size tablespoons and even when I heat the spoon I wonder if perhaps more than a tbsp has gone in when they don't hold together. I also always use marg as I can't eat butter and have tried various marg eg Own Brand and Branded Sunflower, Olive, etc with no difference.

The one exception is this recipe for banana flapjacks that I can make perfectly each time and is also great for using up the black bananas:

Banana Flapjacks
melt together 1 and a half ounces of butter/marg, 2 and a half ounces of sugar and 1 tbsp golden syrup together. Stir in 2 small mashed bananas and 8 oz porridge oats (if desired add 2 oz sultanas or raisins or choc chips too). Transfer to greased baking dish and bake at 200C (180C fan) for 20 mins.

Although we love this banana recipe I would really love to be able to make proper ordinary flapjacks on this thread or this cornflake flapjack recipe given to me by a friend:

Cornflake Flapjacks
melt together 180g butter, 180g sugar and 4 tbsp golden syrup, carefully stir in 375g oats and 50g cornflakes to avoid breaking them up (if desired add 1 tbsp sunflower seeds or 85g sultanas or raisins). Transfer to greased baking dish and bake for 25 min at 180C (160C fan).

Any tips please?

Thanks

MLC

dylan2011

To be honest, it sounds like the "lack of" golden syrup is the problem. I tend to use a good 3-4 heaped table spoons of syrup and approx 3-4 tablespoons of sugar in a batch of flapjacks. It is the sticky syrup that holds them together. Also, when pouring into the tray, the mixture should not be liquidy, it should be very oaty and sticky and then push it all down firm in the tray.

My recipe would be:
250g butter/marg - melt in pan, stir in 3-4 heaped tbs syrup and 3-4 tbs sugar. Mix in approx 300g oats.
Pour into greased/lined tray and pat down. Bake at 180 degrees for approx 20 minutes.