Why am I so completely incapable of making flapjack?? 😭

[Custardslice3]

For context I bake a fair bit, and while I'm not going to be winning the next bake off, generally seem to make perfectly acceptable cakes etc.

However, I don't think I have EVER made a successful flapjack!

Today I used a recipe by Martha Collison (from Bake Off!) and followed it apart from adding some chopped dried apricots. I baked it for 15 min (recipe said 10 for chewy, 15-20 for crunchy) and left it to cool. When I tried to take it out of the tin it just fell apart 😭

It was supposed to be for something tomorrow morning; any ideas what I can do to salvage it? I'm torn between sticking it back in the over for another 10 min (what I've managed to keep in one piece is on a baking tray) or scooping bits into cake cases and baking it in those?!

Would also love tips on how to actually make flapjack so this doesn't happen again!

Thank you all - I feel much better for knowing I'm not alone in this!! I've just shoved the tray back in the oven to see what happens if I bake for another 10 minutes. Nothing to lose really. I'm also enjoying a scoopful of the bits that fell off when I lifted it out, with a cup of tea, and they are delicious.

I did leave it to cool (for about 4 hours) so I think it was just a recipe fail. Wondering if I had it on too cool - recipe just said 180, with no fan temp given so I adjusted to 160 fan. Maybe should have been 180 (that's what I've put them in at now).

Fortunately remembered that I had a courgette and lemon cake in the freezer so I'm defrosting that for tomorrow's event rather than frantically baking something new! I'll try out some of your flapjack recipe suggestions another day 😃

Mine always becomes Granola!

Honestly I think MNHQ need to start sending out SoupDragon’s flapjack recipe when people sign up.

It’s THE only one you need. Old ones have Demerara, but that’s not needed. I’ve made it once every couple of weeks since I found it 10?? Years ago?

I chuck in seeds/fruit etc as and when I feel like it but nothing beats it.

250g porridge oats (the cheap type, not large ones),
150g Butter,
2 generous table spoons Golden Syrup
half a tin condensed milk,

baking tin, no bigger than about 18cm x 28cm

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees c
2. Line the baking tin with baking parchment.
3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the syrup. Keep gently heating and stirring until all is melted and mixed. If it starts to boil take it off the heat!
4. Add the condensed milk and mix. Bring to the boil for about a minute.
5. Remove from the heat and gradually add the oats, folding them in. All the oats should be coated, and the mixture quite dense, but still sticky. Don't add so many oats that the mixture becomes dry.
6. Pour the mixture into the tins and spread about so that it lines the tin to a depth of 2-3cm. Don't squash the mixture in, just spread it evenly.
7. Bake in the oven for about 15mins. You should take them out when they just start to go brown round the edges, don't leave longer than this. If they're still squidgy in the middle that's fine, they set on cooking

Use bog standard, cheap supermarket oats, not the larger ones which are prone to crumbling, and put a bit more golden syrup in than the recipe says. Don't overcook, leave to cool completely in the tin but score the pieces whilst still warm.

Flour and egg are fine as a hybrid, but they won't be flapjacks. Actually there's a very nice recipe for picnic bars which is basically flapjack but also add egg and SR flour, a bit of desiccated coconut and dried fruit. Let it cool and drizzle dark choc over the top.

As others have said, flour is a game changer. Couldn't make a decent flapjack until I discovered this recipe. Perfect flapjacks every flipping time!

traditionalhomebaking.com/easy-flapjack-recipe/

I can't do it either 😢

Add a spoon of Ready Brek- helps to bind them tgther.

Honestly everyone has their cross to bear! I cannot, CANNOT make pancakes. Every year I bring devastation and tears to my young Children who cannot fathom why their mother is utterly useless at making a snack that most unsupervised 12 years olds can make. I hear you.

Perfect pancakes!

My failure is poached eggs. Which have been discussed on here at length and I’ve tried all the tricks and concede defeat. It’s a DH job. He can’t do pancakes.

I opened a coffee/cake kiosk at the end of lockdown. I had to learn to bake, and tried so many flapjack recipes before I got them right! Now they’re absolutely my best sellers. I do a fruit and nut one and a chocolate coated one.

You absolutely need a bit of flour if you’ve any fruit or nut in it, but I don’t think plain flapjack needs it. I agree with a previous poster that the smaller flakes, cheaper oats are better, and I don’t like Demerara sugar, just soft brown.

Edited to add, they’re quite sensitive to cold/heat while being cooked. And mixing everything well is key.

I see my work here is already done... 😂😂

definitely leave out the extra sugar, it's completely unnecessary.

“Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the sugar and syrup. Keep gently heating and stirring until all is melted and mixed. If it starts to boil take it off the heat!”

You need to keep it on the heat till it goes from pale yellow to a dark orange, this is it almost turning to toffee which will hold the whole thing together. I use a low heat to avoid boiling it.

The only recipe that’s EVER worked for me is the one with condensed milk in it.

I use a tin of condensed milk and 2 cups of oats then add dried fruit
I also do cherry and chocolate ones

This sounds like the proportions we used from a child's baking book since I was small. I'll confess that our table spoons are often actually serving spoons generously loaded rather than a measuring spoon so extra sticky.....

I suspect most the problematic recipes are the ones that try to make it 'healthy ' and scrimp on the fat or syrup, always a disappointment I find.

Also use real block butter- never marg or spreading butter. It tastes horrible IMO but also has a higher water content so will mess your recipe up

I sometimes add dried fruit. Fresh fruit will make it soggy and fall apart.
Ginger is nice sometimes too.

Feeling hungry now!

step 4 seems to do the trick.

TBH, I just bung it all together, melt then boil. Hasn't failed me yet!

@BlackBoxes I think this might be the trick I'm missing - the recipe I followed yesterday said to heat the butter etc until 'the sugar is almost dissolved'. In hindsight (and having read your comment) I can see that that isn't going to make the toffee-ness which will hold it all together. I think I'll try a small batch that way (once I've eaten up the several tubs of sticky granola I created last night 😆).

This looks good! Do you melt the butter and syrup?

And @Blaggingit123 - I didn't realise that Lyons had their own version...

Does it taste ok though? 😊

Just to he awkward- on the occasional I've accidentally boiled the syrup mix I've found it makes a very hard tooth breaky flapjack. My recipe is for melted only and holds together fine. I suspect the extra syrup is the key there. And I use proper oats and no flour 😅. Did you use real butter? I looked up the recipe you mentioned, it looks a bit under on melting ingredients (syrup, butter, sugar) compared to normal I think.

The method would help wouldn’t it😂

Yes melt the butter, sugar and syrup together, bring it to the boil once melted, and let it boil for 1 minute, then add the oats and press it into your lined tin (even if it’s non stick)

@Onlyvisiting I used baking spread (which the recipe said would be fine, but I appreciate might not have helped matters) because I am baking for an event and I like to try and make some bakes dairy/egg/gluten free if I can.

@Julen7 It tastes delicious!!

Sounds like your jacking the flap, instead of flapping the jack. 🙃

I think the addition of the condensed milk is what stops this happening and keeps them soft.