Trying to be healthy the other day, I had a bowl of sugar free Muesli for my breakfast.
It was like eating the bottom of a budgie’s cage but full of goodness and I’ve been strutting around the kitchen ever since.
So I was wondering what I could do with my packet of oats, raisins, seeds & nuts apart from bequeath it to my nearest aviary, to make it more interesting.
I could add some sugar for sweetness and crunch, a few more oats to keep the perceived health thought, some coconut for texture and taste. And then it dawned on me, if I add a couple of more things - butter and golden syrup - I could have a trayfull of flapjacks that will last about a week and be good enough to serve to visitors with a cup of tea.
They would also be ideal to take with you to the beach while walking the dog, when he is 2 miles away eating some rotting seaweed and you need a sudden burst of energy to try and reach him.
The recipe is simplicity itself and my wife said it reminded her of something she last made in the Brownies. High-end cooking or what?
Which reminds me, it’s time I made some brownies, but that will wait for another week.
INGREDIENTS
400g no added sugar oat muesli ( I only had 350g muesli so added 50g rolled oats to make up)
250g salted butter
200g demerara sugar
200g golden syrup
2 heaped tbsp desiccated coconut
Heat oven to 180℃/160℃ fan.
Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup together in a saucepan over a gentle heat.
Remove from the heat when melted, add the muesli and coconut and stir well to combine.
Pour into a baking paper lined traybake tin (about 10” x 8”), level out and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown. Keep an eye on it and if the sides start to darken take it out to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
*If you let it go too dark the sides will harden on cooling and you will need teeth like Jaws (The Spy Who Loved Me 1977) to get through it.
While it is still warm in the tin, mark out the size of flapjacks you fancy with a knife, loosening the sides at the edge of the tin.
When completely cool, lift out of the tin and separate or cut into your desired size.
They should have a soft chewy texture, with a hint of toffee.
They are really good, and they are really bad but in a good way. Well, that’s what I’m telling myself anyway - you can make up your own mind.