Niamh Shields burst onto the blogging scene in 2007 and has since snapped up countless accolades for her food writing by The Times, The Telegraph and The Stylist, to name a few. Niamh is passionate about cooking, and when she's not travelling the world collecting culinary tips, she's at home concocting new and interesting meals for friends and family, including her foody fledgling niece. Here, Niamh shares all her know-how for delicious and easy home-cooking.
Golden flapjacks to brighten up a grey January
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Hello and Happy New Year! I hope you all had a lovely Xmas and are looking forward to a bright 2012.
It is January now, and the tradition is for everyone to feel a little guilty about their over consumption, and also feeling like they need a diet or detox. Personally, I don’t believe that January is the month for this, as it is one of the hardest months of all. But I will concede that I need to have better breakfasts, and snacks to get me through the mid afternoon.
Flapjacks are the perfect thing, especially when they are homemade, even more delicious and usually better for you (unless you are buying proper homemade ones elsewhere).
This is a very simple recipe and it takes minutes to prepare. Basically one part brown sugar, butter and golden syrup or honey to two parts oats. You can add dried fruit or similar at this point too.
I often make chocolate flapjacks. But it's January so I will behave and keep them plain – they’re still delicious anyway. If you do use any fruit it’s better to use dried as fresh fruit has more water and may mix your mixture too moist, so that it doesn’t hold together. Use 50g for this volume of flapjacks.
Enjoy and I wish you all the very best for 2012.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes about 16 flapjacks
Ingredients:
400g oatmeal (not instant)
200g butter
200g honey or golden syrup
200g dark brown sugar
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 150 deg C.
- Line a 20x10cm tin with greaseproof paper and grease with some butter. If you scrunch the paper up before putting it in, it will sit in the tin easier.
- Melt the butter with the honey or golden syrup and brown sugar.
- Take off the heat and spread evenly in the lined tin.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden but still soft (like biscuits it will crisp as it cools – if you let it crisp in the oven it will be rock hard when it cools).
- Allow to cool in the tin, then turn out and cut into squares. Don’t cut it until completely cool as it will crumble.
- Store in an airtight container and enjoy at your leisure.
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