Belgian Chocolate Flapjacks

Tempting, aren't they?

We have developed innumerable recipes for various kinds of flapjack over the years, but if you're looking for one that's sweet, crunchy and sticky, then my mother's old recipe -which I have now converted to metric measures- is the winner every time. 
Mum would make them plain, so I added the chocolate. I remember these being cut into triangles and served up when family came over for tea. (Mum would usually bake a chocolate cake decorated with crystallised violet petals as well...)

This recipe makes 16 squares:
500g porridge oats

250g butter

190g sugar (I find that demerara is best)

125ml golden syrup

200g Belgian chocolate (I use milk but you can use plain or white)

• Melt butter, sugar and syrup together until sugar has dissolved- but do not allow to boil for any length of time or you'll end up with something like butterscotch sauce.
• Stir in the oats
• Press down well in a rectangular swiss roll tin which has been well oiled
• Bake at 180C for about 20 mins, or until top is as browned as you want it. Bear in mind that the longer you cook them, the crunchier they will be.
• When you take them out of the oven leave to partially cool for 10 minutes, then, while they are still warm, break the chocolate into small squares and place evenly all over the top. Wait about 5 minutes for the chocolate to soften and then use you finger to gently spread it all over.
• Leave to cool and set... you will have to be patient! You can mark them out before they are completely cooled, but don't cut until they are cold unless you want a lot of crumbs.

*For vegans: Use a vegan margarine instead of butter, and either plain chocolate or one of the vegan brands made with soya milk. Or take a look at one of the many flapjack recipe on our blog "The Yogi Vegans"...