I must apologize upfront if you came here looking for pancakes! I'm not talking about that kind of flapjack! Here in the UK, on the Isle of Mann, in Ireland and yes, surprisingly . . . Newfoundland, a flapjack is a oaty bar, baked in a flat tin in the oven and then cut into squares or rectangles.
Typically it is made from four basic ingredients. Oats, butter, golden syrup and sugar. This results in a dryer version of a flapjack. Today's version has the inclusion of sweetened condensed milk, which will give you a fudgier, less crumbly version.
Both are delicious. Both are simple to make. You can find my recipe for the regular ones here . . . four perfect ingredients.
Flapjacks are quite sweet . . . but glorious. I suppose this is why they are so enjoyed with a hot cup of tea or a cold glass of milk. Children absolutely love them!
No surprise there!
The addition of sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk) results in a chewier flapjack, not quite so dry as the other ones . . . an attribute which I quite enjoy.
I can remember the first time I saw a flapjack here in the UK. I wasn't quite sure what to make of them. I wasn't sure that I was actually going to like them . . .
I was actually quite, quite surprised. It was love at first bite!
This is the kind of treat I dreamt about all those years ago when I was devouring Enid Blyton books and wondering about Tuck Boxes . . .
These are great keepers and perfect for the Tuck Box!
They also freeze very well . . .
Perfect for tucking into lunch boxes and picnic baskets . . . .
Perfect for enjoying as a sneaky mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack . . .
In short, pretty perfect no matter how you wish to enjoy them, and I guarantee you will enjoy them!
Yield: 25Author: Marie Rayner
Fudgy Flapjacks
prep time: 10 minscook time: 30 minstotal time: 40 minsUsing condensed milk helps to create a dense fudgy flapjack. Flapjacks are oaty bars here in the UK. Perfect for enjoying with a hot cuppa or a cold glass of milk.ingredients:
- 125g butter (1/2 cup)
- 100g golden syrup (generous 1/4 cup, 3.5 oz)
- 90g caster sugar (1/2 cup fine granulated sugar)
- 280g porridge oats (3 1/2 cups)
- half to a full tin (397g) sweetened condensed milk (14 oz tin)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F gas mark 4. Line an 8 inch square baking tin with greaseproof paper. Set side
- Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup together in a large saucepan over low heat, stirring often. Do not allow to boil. Add the condensed milk and vanilla (1/2 of the tin). Cook, stirring for a further 5 minutes until the mixture turns a shade darker.
- Remove the pan from the heat and gradually stir in the porridge oats. You may need some extra oats, depending on whether your oats are jumbo oats or not. You want a mixture which is well filled with oats, but not stiff.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tin, smooth out and flatten in the tin.
- Bake for between 12 and 30 minutes, turning the pan around halfway through the bake time to help them bake evenly. If they are browning too quickly or you are afraid they might burn, turn the oven temperature down slightly. They are done when the edges are browning slightly, whilst the center is just turning golden.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 25 to 30 minutes before lifting out and cutting into squares.
These were baked to enjoy with some yogurt for a teatime dessert. I think you need to give them a go. I think you will find that they are incredibly tasty and invariably moreish! How's that for a tasty mouthful! Todd just loves these.
