Johanna Rhys-Davies
Originally published March 2015, and republished with the express permission of the author.
Oats are low in saturated fat, and very low in cholesterol and sodium. They are a good source of dietary fiber, thiamin, magnesium, iron, and phosphorus, and a very good source of manganese.
Importantly flapjacks are one of La Leche League mothers’ favorite snacks to share at LLL meetings.
This recipe is from Johanna Rhys-Davies, an LLL Leader from Silsden, West Yorkshire, UK, who has just traveled to Sydney, Australia, where she is setting up the first LLL group in Australia with Canadian Leader Jenna Richards.
Flapjack
Ingredients
12 oz/340 g rolled oats
a handful dried fruit (optional)
a generous shake of cinnamon
9 oz/250 g butter
4 oz/100 g brown sugar
3 tbp golden syrup
Method
Mix the oats with a handful of dried fruit of your preference (I use sultanas, but you can leave the fruit out altogether) and a very generous shake of cinnamon all over. Set aside.
In a large saucepan melt the butter, brown sugar, and golden syrup until frothing and bubbling around the edges. Stir it all the time otherwise the sugar burns. When it’s foaming, take off the heat, thoroughly mix in the dry ingredients, and then pat the whole thing flat into a lasagna-type tray/dish/pan lined with greaseproof paper. Bake for about 22 minutes on a moderate setting (I do it at 180 degrees in an oven with no fan).
When it smells lovely, goes golden, and the sultanas swell and go a darker brown, it is done. It will not be hard. Don’t be tempted to leave it in too long as the butter sets while cooling. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for about 45 minutes before cutting the flapjack into pieces while it’s still in the dish. Leave to cool for another few hours. Gently lift the whole flapjack from the tray by grasping the sides of the greaseproof paper, and place on a wire rack for another hour or so. It is solidifying for a good while after being in the oven. After it’s been cooling for a long few hours, separate the pieces and try not to eat them all at once! It’s hard not to!