This recipe was a big hit with the hubbie and kids, no soon as I made them they were gone!
Recipe
Makes 12
Ingredients
150g unsalted butter
125g light brown muscovado sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
200g jumbo porridge oats
a pinch of salt
75g chocolate chips
- Preheat the oven to 150C or gas mark 2 and grease a 20cm square tin.
- Put the butter, sugar and golden syrup into a pan large enough to hold all the ingredients. Heat gently, stirring from time to time, until the butter has melted.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the oats and salt. Then add the chocolate chips.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and spread it out evenly. Use the back of a spoon to press down the mixture.
- Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
- Run a round - bladed knife around the inside of the tin to loosen the flapjack, then score into 12. Leave to cool before cutting into bars.
- Store in an airtight container.
These are a great treat which can be eaten hot or cold, with custard, ice cream or low fat creme fraiche if you are trying to be good.
Recipe
Makes 12-14
Ingredients
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
280g jar Bramley apple sauce
55g butter, softened or soft margarine
85g demerara sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
175g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Topping
50g plain white flour
50g demerara sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
35g butter, cut into small pieces
- Preheat the oven to 180C or gas mark 4. Line 2 x 12 hole bun tins with 14 paper cases.
- First, make the topping. Place the flour, sugar, cinnamon and ginger in a bowl. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Set aside for now.
- To make the cupcakes, add the bicarbonate of soda to the jar of apple sauce and stir until dissolved.
- Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat together until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in the egg. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and sprinkle with the reserved topping.
- Sift in the flour, cinnamon and ginger and fold into the mixture, alternating with the apple sauce.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until well risen and golden brown.
- Leave the cakes for 2-3 minutes in the tins before serving warm or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For Christmas I had The Great British Book of Baking and have been itching to try out some of the recipes. This one was requested by my kids who love shortbread, especially chocolate.
Recipe
Makes 12
Ingredients
260g plain flour
100g caster sugar
40g cocoa powder
a pinch of sea salt
200g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
extra sugar for sprinkling
As the mixture is rich in cocoa, watch it carefully as it bakes so that it doesn't scorch. However, undercooked shortbread does not taste good either, so reduce the oven temperature if it begins to turn too brown before it is fully cooked.
- Preheat oven to 180C or gas 4 and grease well a 20.5cm loose-based sandwich tin.
- To make the shortbread in a food processor, put the flour, sugar, cocoa and salt into the bowl and pulse for a few seconds, just to combine indgredients. Add the butter and run the machine for about 30 seconds (until it looks like fine sand). Turn off the machine, remove the blade and transfer to prepared tin.
- To make the shortbread by hand, put the flour, sugar, cocoa and salt into a mixing bowl and stir well to thoroughly combine. Add the butter and rub into the dry ingredients, using the tips of your fingers. When the mixture looks like fine sandy breadcrumbs, tip into the prepared tin.
- Press the mixture into an even layer, using the back of a spoon. Prick the dough well and lightly score into 12 sections with a round-bladed knife.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, until just firm.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with sugar and cut into sections along the marked lines with a very sharp knife. Leave to cool before removing from the tin.
- Store in an airtight container.
