I have never been a big fan of flapjacks as I have always found them too sweet and incredibly buttery, so I was never too keen to make them at home. However Liam Charles recipe on last week’s Guardian Feast issue (No.158) took my attention. It didn’t use any refined sugar and it had a lot of dry fruit. I was so intrigued that I decided to make it, and what a revelation it has been!

Packed with dry fruit, nuts, seeds and oats are something in-between flapjacks and granola bars and I just cannot stop snacking on it!

Ingredients

• 200g Medjool dates (stoned)
• 150g Dry figs
• 200g Vegetable butter
• 100ml Pure Canadian maple syrup
• 100g Pecans (chopped)
• 120g Mixed dry fruit (sultanas, raising and currants)
• 90g Mixed seeds
• 300g Porridge oats

Method

1. Whizz the dates and figs in a food processor until they are finely chopped and make a sort of paste.

2. Mix the pecans, dry fruit, mixed seeds and porridge oats in a bowl.

3. Melt the butter and maple syrup in a saucepan on a low heat. Incorporate in the dates and figs paste and mix well to obtain a soft mixture. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated.

4. Line a 20cm x 30cm baking tin with parchment paper. Spoon in the mixture, press down to compact it and level it out with a spatula or a spoon.

5. Bake on a pre-heated oven at 170C Fan (190C) for 40 minutes.

6. Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely before portioning it.

7. Store the flapjacks in an air tight container for up to a week.

These flapjacks are very soft and make a fair amount of crumble when cutting them. Store the crumble in a jar and use it as granola on yogurt or breakfast cereals and bircher, it’s simply delicious!

Enjoy making it and let me know if you have any comments or questions!

If you want to make this recipe and share it on your social media please tag me using @prepandproperrecipes and the tag #prepandproperrecipes and #easyfunyummy