I am so loving the longer daylight hours at the moment. Feeling as though I want to make the most of every drop of sunshine. Winter being a distant memory, I’ve been out in the garden, clearing, ready for sowing and planting. Don’t worry I have also been in the kitchen baking and these Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks are the delicious result.
When the weather is warm and the sun is shining I simply love being in the garden. Listening to the chatter and chirruping of birds, feeling the warmth of the sun on my back, our garden becomes my haven again, after the long, cold winter months.
Easy Recipes For Breakfast On The Go
So being able to eat breakfast, or more usually brunch, outside is very much treasured. These Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks are perfect to munch on whilst sitting on our garden bench, hot cup of coffee to hand. Packed with slow energy release oats, they make a tasty, yet filling alternative to toast or cereal.
This recipe is so simple and quick. A few minutes in the kitchen melting, mixing, baking and cooling means that you can have a great, portable bar, that is perfect for breakfast on the go, packed lunches, getting through the late afternoon energy dip. Plenty of deicious bars to see you through the week.
That has to be a winning recipe – right?
I love easy recipes – more so during the warmer months, when my passion for cooking and baking is matched by my passion for gardening. Yes I still have to work around my body (see – Living with siezures ), that just makes the time I have even more precious. Whilst in the winter I can happily spend all day – relatively speaking – in the kitchen, during warm spring and summer days my preference is to be outside.
Baking According To The Weather
My hubby jokes that I was born wearing Wellington boots! Whilst I may not be able to do the heavy digging of years past, I still like to get my hands dirty. I’ve also found, especially during the hotter months of summer, baking is best done first thing in the morning. That way there isn’t a hot oven baking bread, mid afternoon, just as the temperature outside is peaking.
Easily Made Gluten Free Traybake
Back to the Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks! The macadamia nuts add a buttery crunch to these bars that I absolutely adore, however, I know they can be pricey. A great substitute would be almonds, either flakes or whole almonds that you chop yourself. I have used dried apricots that are the gorgeous tangerine orange of their fresh counterparts, however, if you prefer the darker, unsulphured apricots, use them instead. Good quality rolled oats, absolutely make these flapjacks the stars that they are.
I have specified that these Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks are gluten free, please check the labels of ingredients carefully to ensure that they are so. This is vital when baking for someone on a restricted diet. Their health absolutely cannot be compromised.
Recipe: Makes 12 Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks
250g/10oz Unsalted Butter – plus a little extra for greasing the tin
100g/4oz Golden Syrup (light corn syrup)
1/4tsp Salt – I use Maldon
125g/5oz Light Brown Sugar
325g/11.5oz Rolled Oats (not quick cook) – I used Delicious Alchemy as they are 100% gluten free
150g/5oz Dried Apricots – chopped into rough quarters
100g/4oz Chopped Macadamia Nuts – I buy whole nuts and roughly chop them myself
Optional – 100g White Chocolate – alternatively use milk or dark chocolate
Method: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan, gas mark 4, 350F
Making The Flapjacks
- Grease and line a 8″ x 11″ – 20cm x 28cm swiss roll tin/shallow baking tin, with butter and baking parchment.
- Into a medium saucepan add the butter and sugar. Warm over a medium heat, stirring until melted.
- In a large bowl add the golden syrup.
- Pour the melted butter/sugar mixture into the bowl containing the golden syrup. Stir continuously until combined.
- Add the oats, chopped apricots and macadamia nuts and stir to thoroughly combine.
- Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and press down using the back of a metal spoon, until the mixture is one even layer.
Baking The Macadamia Nut Apricot Flapjacks
- Place the tin in the middle of the oven and bake for 20 minutes exactly.
- The flapjacks will be a light golden colour when baked – do not be tempted to bake them for longer as this will result in them being hard, not chewy!
- As soon as the flapjacks are baked remove the tin from the oven and allow to cool completely.
- When completely cooled remove the entire flapjack bake from the tin, using the excess baking parchment to help lift it out.
- As seen above, cut down the middle length of the bake and then across the width. Cut each quarter into 3 generous bars – you could cut each quarter into 4 making 16 individual flapjacks in total.
Finishing With A Chocolate Drizzle
- To finish the flapjacks – chop the white chocolate into small pieces and place in a heatproof, microwaveable bowl.
- Zap for 20 seconds at a time, stirring between each heating session.
- When the chocolate is half melted, remove from the microwave and stir until completely liquid.
- Fill a small disposable piping bag with the melted chocolate.
- Snip off the very end of the bag, creating a small hole.
- Pipe swirls or zig zags of chocolate onto each flapjack to provide a beautiful finish.
Ooh how completely yummy do these Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks look?
A couple of notes: During the summer, once the flapjack bake has cooled to room temperature, if the ambient temperature is 25C or above, it may be worth popping the tin in the fridge for an hour to allow the flapjacks to completely set. Likewise, unless the flapjacks are stored in the fridge I would leave off the white chocolate drizzle. If these Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks are going to get warm throughout the day, whether in a packed lunch box, or a bag, the white chocolate will melt and create a whole lotta mess!
This is just my advice as a mum of three and wife to hubby who takes a packed lunch to work.
Im just sayin’!!!
Love these Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks? Here are a couple of other recipes you may like to try as well.
While spending time in your kitchen, baking and cooking, have you ever thought of making extra and sharing some?
We all have people in our neighbourhood who are lonely and perhaps a little unhappy. Inviting them round for a chat over a cup of tea and delicious slice of cake, or flapjack, may seem such a small thing to us and yet can make the world of difference to someone else’s day.
Time seems to be so precious to many, which is why it is such a valuable gift to give.
Sammie xx
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