Normal flapjack tastes great but it just doesn’t look the part.
This is possibly the most well received bake I do. I started making it after seeing something similar in a local bakery. I was drawn to the red and green of the cranberries and pumpkin seeds, but in an attempt to one-up the baker – I use goji berries too. Normal flapjack tastes great but it just doesn’t look the part.
Also folks love it when they can claim something they know is bad for them is really good. Flapjack is the treat of choice on a diet, cos its got oats in it, it must be good right? Then when you add seeds and nuts you’re really in healthy food territory (let’s not mention the caramel helping them stick to the flapjack).
Hence the name, cyclists flapjack cos this ‘healthy’ flapjack goes down a storm on weekend rides, and if somebody cycles, they are healthy.
The day after my wedding we had loads of family round, the conversation was dying down and I saw my cousin (in-law) Michelle, take a bite of this flapjack (which she’d already eaten a few pieces of), she then just stared at it while holding it inches from her face, (looked deep into it’s eyes), and then slowly and subtlety shook her head. I knew what she was thinking cos I think the same, how does it taste so good.
How does caramel and the crunch of some nuts take a flapjack from middle of the road to her favourite thing in the world.
Now getting back to the point, I should point out that I don’t cycle, my darling wife Leanne does the cycling and dishes it out, I just make it. One day I will, maybe, but to be honest it scares me.
Quite a few people get badly injured from it so it’s not for me cos I will go global thermonuclear war with rage on my way up to heaven if I get killed doing something stupid like cycling. Honestly that is my truthfully reason. I don’t cycle cos if I die from it – I’ll be extremely mad with myself.
Ok, when I started writing I didn’t think I’d be talking about death so soon . . . awkward silence . . . so let’s move on . . . . . . em let’s just get to the recipe.
- 250g Syrup
- 250g Butter
- 250g Sugar
- 500g oats
- 5g salt
- 200g Salted Caramel Sauce or proper set Caramel like the one for Caramel Shortbread
- 30g pumpkin seeds
- 30g sunflower seeds
- 20r raisins or sultanas – not currents because obviously they are disgusting
- 15g cranberries
- 15g goji berries
Do you really need a flapjack methodology? Honestly? Really?
Ok for the dummies.
You melt the stuff that melts, I bring it to the boil as I find the extra heat helps me pat down the mix into the tin without it sticking to the spoon/palette knife.
Then mix in the oats and salt thoroughly. Pat it down into a tin roughly 20 x 30cm.
Bake for 20 mins at 150 degrees celsius. Don’t bake it at a higher temp than that or the raisins will burn.
There you go dummies, are you happy now, are you happy that I’ve soiled myself by explaining how to make a flapjack?
