English Oat Bars | Flapjacks
English flapjacks are chewy, buttery oat bars sweetened with golden syrup and brown sugar, sometimes topped with chocolate or dotted with dried fruit. Simple and wholesome, they’re a beloved British bake perfect for tea time or packing into lunchboxes.
Ingredients
Method
- Pulse the oats in a food processor or blender for 3 seconds at a time until the oats are broken up. Don't let it turn into flour. You still want to see some flakes.
- Melt the butter on the stove and, once melted, whisk in the golden syrup, brown sugar, and salt. Heat just until the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour the oats into a large bowl with any add-ins that you'd like – a handful or two of dried fruit, nuts, or seeds. Pour the melted mixture into the oats and stir until combined.
- Pour the mixture into a greased 8×8" (20x20cm) pan. Press it down until it is compact and flat.
- Bake in a 325℉ / 160℃ pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes.
- If you want a layer of chocolate, sprinkle the hot surface generously with chocolate chips. Pop it back in the oven for 2 minutes. Remove it and spread the melted chocolate over the surface with an offset spatula. To set the chocolate quickly, let the bars cool in the fridge. Don't slice into these until they're at least a room temperature and the chocolate is set.
Video
Notes
- Golden syrup can be purchased here: https://amzn.to/45OGb70 (affiliate link)
- I adapted this recipe from The British Baking Book by Regular Ysewijn. I found that the amount of oats in her recipe was a bit too soupy of a mixture and didn’t set quite right in the oven. I adapted the recipe to be a range between 275-300g of oats instead of 225g. Add the amount that creates a mixture that is not soupy.
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