Tallulah’s Kitchen… Sticky Date Flapjacks
Hello and Happy New year! Welcome to another edition of The Listing. I hope you have all enjoyed a marvellous Festive season and have enjoyed catching up with friends and family.
This month I was torn between a heathy and virtuous recipe – new year, new me (and all that!) or something a tad more wild and decadent. Never one for keeping to New Year’s resolutions I decided perhaps I could find a compromise, so here it is-Sticky Date Flapjacks, not the most healthy of choices but a small piece is the perfect pick-me-up on a gloomy January afternoon!
Sticky Date Flapjacks
200g dates, stoned and chopped
1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
200g Butter
200g Light Brown Sugar
2 tbsp Golden syrup
300g Rolled oats
Oven temperature 160°C
You will also need a deep sided, 20cm square tin lined with baking paper.
Let’s begin by placing the dates in a saucepan with the bicarbonate of soda and just enough water to cover the fruit.
Simmer for 5 minutes then drain the dates making sure to keep the liquid. Leave both to cool slightly. Now blend down the dates and 3 tbsp of cooking liquid to a slightly lumpy consistency and then leave it to cool.
While the dates cool, pop the butter, sugar and syrup into a pan and heat until they mix to a smooth sauce- you may need to give the mixture a quick whisk. Now stir in the oats until everything is combined. Then press half the oat mixture into the tin and smooth to a flat top.
Next spread the date mixture evenly over the top of the oats and then spoon the remaining oats on top-gently, using the back of a metal spoon, smooth the top to a flat surface taking care not to squeeze out the dates mixture.
Now simply pop into the oven for approximately 40 minutes or until a beautiful golden brown in colour.
Leave to cool for 10 minutes then mark out the 16 square portions and leave until completely cool before attempting to remove from the tin.
All that remains to do now is to pop on the kettle and enjoy a slice with a steaming hot cup of tea!
Until next time my fellow foodies
Tallulah Le Fey
