Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Fruity flapjacks

On doing some flapjack research for this post, I was surprised to note that flapjacks are a type of hotcake / pancake in America. I find the twists and turns of language delightful sometimes. Who first thought to christen the British oat bars I know as 'flapjacks' (was there a flapping Jack?), and who thought to take the same name and apply it to American pancakes?


To be clear, my flapjacks are the baked oat bar variety, similar to American granola bars. This form of flapjack is ubiquitous in Britain and is available in just about every cafe. I did have flapjacks occasionally in Australia but they are basically a staple food here.


Traditional flapjacks are extremely easy to make and feature oats, butter and golden syrup. A bit like commercial muffins, they seem healthier than cake (after all, they are made with oats) but probably pack a similar amount of energy. Even vegan varieties taste buttery thanks to generous quantities of dairy-free margarine.


I'm all for a rich flapjack on occasion, but I thought I'd try a lighter approach for this homemade version. Mashed banana replaces a lot of the butter / non-dairy spread and both that and chopped apple mean you don't need as much golden syrup. The result is clearly a made-over flapjack but it is, equally, still a delicious flapjack.


Regardless of what you call your baked oat slices, I hope you enjoy these!

Fruity flapjacks
A lighter, fruitier version of the traditional British flapjack
Vegan
Makes 8 large or 16 small bars

Author: Bite-sized thoughts


Ingredients
30g (1/4 cup) non-dairy spread
2 tbsp golden syrup
160g (1-3/4 cups) rolled oats
1 medium-large banana, mashed
2 medium apples, diced

Method
Preheat your oven to 160'C (350'F) and line a square baking dish.

Combine the non-dairy spread and golden syrup in a large heat-proof bowl and heat gently (microwave or stove top) until the spread has melted. Add the oats and mashed banana and stir thoroughly until fully combined. Add the apple pieces and stir through.

Transfer the mixture to your prepared dish and press down to distribute evenly. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes until just golden on top and firm to the touch. Allow to cool fully in the tray before cutting.


Submitted to Healthy Vegan Fridays.

Do you enjoy flapjacks (British or American!)?

15 comments:

  1. Growing up I watched a lot of American tv shows and there was always mention of flapjacks-- I could never work out if they were pancakes or more cakey things!

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    1. Funny! I had actually never heard of the American flapjacks before so you clearly watched better TV ;)

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  2. Yum - I have never had flapjacks but these look great. I always think of flapjacks in the American sense.

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    1. Clearly you are more American minded than me :-)

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  3. I remember making something like this in food class at school, but I haven't made them since. I must make them soon!

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    1. Ha - I think my Australian flapjack memories may have featured a recipe we made in home economics too :D

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  4. I always thought a flapjack was a pancake! I would love these for breakfast. They must have great texture and a lovely sweetness from the apples. And I do love golden syrup! xx

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    1. I love golden syrup too - it really makes a recipe / dish!

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  5. I always get a little confused about whether flapjacks are different from muesli bars or not - I often treat them the same - ie both my flapjacks and muesli bars both fall into pieces all too often so I admire those that hold together (and yep it would be interesting to know if flapjacks in America and the UK were both named so because they were linked or was it a coincidence)

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    1. I think the only difference is that flapjacks have more butter and perhaps fewer 'add ins' than muesli bars tend to have (although that depends on the muesli bar / flapjack of course) :)

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  6. Thank you for defining flapjacks! I often see recipes for flapjacks and have been confused about what exactly they are, hahaha. Yours look really great, I especially love that you've used apple and banana to cut out the margarine & golden syrup!

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    1. Thanks Kyra! I didn't know how much uncertainty there was about 'flapjack' as a term until I started looking :-)

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  7. I haven't had flapjacks here in Australia Kari and actually wondered if if was an American or English name. Thanks for clearing that up. Now lets eat some flapjacks!

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  8. Oh I quite like the sound of this lightened flapjack! Especially with the apple filling now that fall has the good apples coming back =) And it's gluten-free to boot!
    Thanks so much for sharing this at Healthy Vegan Fridays - I'm pinning this =)

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