How on earth do you make soft flapjacks?!

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Last week's were too hard, today's are chewy and falling apart. Today I used 125g butter and sugar, 225g oats, 3 tbsp syrup , 180 degrees for 15 mins. I would like soft Ines for my 3 year old.

Ah! Happy memories of childhood!

My mum was a terrific cook and baker. She could bake anything. Except flapjacks. They were horrible, rock hard, tooth breaking, like oaty toffee.

But she refused to be defeated. Every baking day, so once a week, throughout my childhood and beyond, she would produce wonderful date & walnut cake, melting meringues, fluffy sponges and always these hideous flapjacks.

Once she got it right, once! But could never repeat it. It must be witchcraft.

I am definitely making flapjacks at the weekend now.

Just tried steppemum's recipe and it has come out chewy and soft - delicious!

The secret ingredient to add softness is condensed milk. (Not that secret though because I learnt it from Mumsnet.).

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/food_and_recipes/a230940-how-do-i-make-flapjacks#4654390

You need Soupdragons recipee from this thread. I made some at the weekend, best recipee ever!

right,
Cheese's flapjack link recipe in the oven, aiming for soft and chewy not crunchy.

This thread is great. I had no idea what the difference was between expensive rolled oats and super cheap rolled oats, now I know.

Didn't know that about boiling the syrup. Now I do.

Just waiting to see if the (gluten free) flourless flapjack recipe good.

Use honey instead of syrup, and add raisins (the raisins do nothing, but honey & raisin flapjack is the best!).

soft flapjack is the work of the devil: it should be crispy and buttery. I use the Two fat ladies syrup free recipe:
175g / 6oz demerara sugar
175g / 6oz butter
225g / 8oz rolled oats
pinch of salt
bake at 180 for 20 minutes or so until golden.

Well, Cheese's flapjack is very tasty, but not sure if I prefer it to mine!

Sorry twist, don't like it crunchy!

I always use cheap oats. Someone try my recipe!

Soupdragon's recipe all the way. Do it

the longer you cook them, the harder they get. they harden after they come out too so may feel soft but harden as they cool. try 10 mins not 15 mins

Place mark!

Please note, flapjack is only gluten free if you use specifically gluten free oats- normal oats, while naturally gluten free, are contaminated in harvesting and are not suitable for coeliacs or those with gluten intolerance.

Also, to make them soft, try microwaving for about 3 min instead of baking in the oven (use a flass dish not a tin!).

Glass, not flass!

The I made some last week with mashed banana and maple syrup instead of sugar.... delicious !!

The idea of microwave flapjack is very tempting indeed. Scientifically plausible too, as you only need to cook the oats and make the other ingredients into caramel, both of which don't need an oven in particular.

I use this recipe.
It works every time for me!

Ovens vary a bit, I'd try 150 degrees if yours were too hard at 180. You might need to cook for a bit longer to compensate but they should come out soft.

i've also never made a non rock solid flapjack - placemarking with interest!

I didn't know that about gluten free and oats.

Can you explain more about the harvesting thing? Is is because the same combine is used for wheat and oats?

SteppeMum I think it's because if wheat and oats are grown on the same farm then inevitably some wheat seeds will end up in the oats field (blown by the wind or left from previous years etc). Presumably gluten free oats are grown in a field that hasn't previously grown wheat and isn't near a wheat field. Could also be contaminated during sowing, harvesting or storage if the same machine/silo is used

In fact, I am not sure if it is during harvesting or during production, but see this from Coeliac U.K.

www.coeliac.org.uk/gluten-free-diet-and-lifestyle/gf-diet/oats/

I tried Cheese's recipe today. The buttery one. It was delish. Nice and soft and buttery.

steppemum, RNBrie, finally I got round to making the top recipe with the flour. And yes, they are soft and delicious. They're exactly what I want, thank you. I will try some of the other recipes too over the coming weeks.