Apricot and orange flapjack
by Charlotte Watts
A slow sugar release snack with plenty of soluble fibre, the perfect sweet treat to keep handy and they can even be served crumbled into vanilla ice cream for a real occasional treat.
Serves 12 small of 8 large flapjacks
Ingredients:
6 oz (175 g) dried, stoned apricots – preferably unsulphured
5 tbsp orange juice
6 oz (75 g) butter or olive spread
2 tbsp pure maple syrup or molasses (or half and half – molasses better choice, taste can be overwhelming for some)
12 oz (350 g) rolled oats or buckwheat flakes
Add nuts, seeds for extra protein as you want or coconut….
Instructions:
- Chop up the apricots into little pieces and put them into a small pan with the orange juice.
- Place the pan over a low heat and stir frequently until the mixture is soft and mushy.
- Place the butter or olive spread and molasses and/or syrup in a larger pan and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the butter or olive spread has just melted.
- Tip the apricot mixture into the larger pan and stir well in to blend with the syrup mixture. Add the rolled oats to the pan and stir until the mixture is well blended.
- Lightly grease a baking tray and spread the flapjack mixture on it. Flatten it with a knife so that it is the same thickness all over.
- Using oven gloves, place the tray in the oven and cook at 190°C / Gas Mark 5 for about 12 minutes or until the flapjack looks golden brown at the edges and is starting to come away from the sides of the tin.
- Remove the baking tray from the oven and stand it on a wire tray to cool. After 5 minutes mark out squares using a blunt knife on the surface of the flapjack.
- Leave to cool in tray, then cut up the squares and store them in an airtight tin. The flapjack should keep fresh for up to 2 weeks.