warning: contains golden syrup

I don't wish to antagonise readers of this blog, and I know that the Golden Syrup Question vexes many of you. It's a key ingredient in much of our baking here, but I am aware that it's not easy to obtain in many places. Nevertheless, several people have aksed for my Chewy Flapjack recipe and I'm afraid it does contain the magic ingredient.

I know of no substitute (there has been plenty of discussion on this subject in the comments section of various previous baking posts), so please avert your eyes now if you don't know want/need to know about baking with golden syrup. Or you could Google a recipe without GS.

If you do manage to find some, the tins make excellent containers. The packaging is wonderfully old-fashioned and I won't countenance the purchase of the new squeezy plastic bottles for aesthetic reasons.

I reckon flapjacks should be chewy and relatively pliable. I really don't like brittle, unyielding flapjacks, nor am I keen on fancy additions such as ginger, sultanas, dried cherries or chocolate covering. Simon is something of a flapjack fancier, so I've time to test the recipe over the years. Flapjacks are great for children - no mess or wrappers, good in lunch-boxes or after school, and you can kid yourself it's the oats (not the butter, sugar & syrup) that count.

They are easy to make and only require a large pan so generate very little washing-up.

Chewy Flapjacks

• 165g/6oz soft brown sugar
• 165g/6oz butter
• 1 rounded tablespoon golden syrup
• 265g/9oz porridge/whole oats

Preheat oven to gas mark 2/300 F/150 C. If using an Aga, bake on top shelf of lower oven.

Lightly grease an 20cm/8" square baking tin.

Place sugar, butter and syrup in large saucepan and heat gently until the butter melts and the ingredients combine. Take off heat, stir in oats until well-covered in the mix and tip into baking tin. Gently press and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.

The baking bit is the crucial bit. If you overcook, the flapjacks go crunchy. If you bake in a coolish oven and check before the end of baking, you can achieve the right balance of chewiness and cookedness.

So I bake mine at for 40-45 mins (check after 35) and take the tin out just as the edges are browning and the surface is golden.

Leave in tin to cool, cut into squares after about 10 mins. Remove from tin when completely cold (otherwise you will have flapjack crumbs everywhere). Flapjacks keep well for 3-4 days.

Offer to children, men and hens.

Comments

[CollinsRobert]

I always thought corn syrup was the same as golden syrup?

Very interesting that you folks call those flapjacks. In my vocabulary, flapjacks means pancakes. Those I would call "squares" I guess.

[Ella]

Golden Syrup can be found in Valu mart and Loblaws if you live in Canada, although the syrup usually comes in glass jars. I have found no Canadian equivalent.
Also for anyone who has a dairy allergy (like me) you can substitute light olive oil for butter in most recipes ( not sure about this one) I just use a little less than the required amount.
Thanks for the recipe Jane. My son just finished school for the summer yesterday, maybe I can get him to bake today while I'm working!

[Norma]

Silly people. I think they just don't know where to look. It's widely available around here -- but then, it IS "New" England. I've got a new tin downstairs, as a matter of fact, that I bought at Price Chopper. (a regular, not specialty, grocery chain here)

And it cannot be impressed MORE upon people that, NO, Golden Syrup is NOT the same thing as corn syrup. That'd be like saying Aunt Jemima's is the same thing as maple syrup. Actually, at least Aunt Jemima's is "maple-flavoured" (ha). Golden Syrup is NOT corn-syrup-flavored. They're both sweet and pourable. The likeness ends there. They are derived from different products altogether -- cane and corn.

Since I'm on a diet, though, all of this discussion is academic. STOP TORTURING me with all these baked goods, please! (kidding)

Sorry. Didn't mean to take over your comments and get on one of my soapboxes.

[Jan]

If I can find Golden Syrup in the heartland (I have!), I imagine it should be able to be found most anywhere, with a little perseverance.
BTW, I'm partial to the next to last shot...flapjacks, toenails, stones & bricks.

[Ash]

Oh my! You just reminded me of how nice these are! My gran used to make them and Brad's mom still makes them. I'm going to try your recipe as the one his mom gave me doesn't work so well - I think its that Mother-in-Law karma thing.

We don't get Lyle's over here, but it's what I grew up with. Good old colonial Africa. I'll have to visit the expat shop to get some syrup.

[Kat]

I'm gobsmacked. Here in the States, "flapjack" is a synonym for "pancake." There must be a seriously interesting etymological history, because the recipe above is for what I would call granola bars.

[Mrs. Happy Housewife]

Hi, I've been reading your wonderful blog for awhile now. I was intrigued by this post about Golden Syrup so I did a search for substitutes. I thought perhaps others might be interested in these links.

http://www.ochef.com/476.htm
http://www.geocities.com/napavalley/9412/golden_syrup.html

[monica]

Lyle's Golden Syrup is available in some groceries stores in the Washington D.C. area where I live. Balducci's and Dean & Delucca sell it.

[carrster]

Here in MN we'd call those "bars" and they sure look yummy! I just might have to try Mrs. Happy Housewife's recipe link as those look chewilicious and I want to try them.

And yes "flapjacks" here are definitely pancakes. I love language!

[Juti]

THANK YOU!!!! Mine have always come out crisp despite many experiments. We'll try your recipe tonight.

You can get Lyle's Golden Syrup (and a host of other British delights) in the US at Cost Plus World Market. For those who haven't tried it, golden syrup has a really distinctive flavor that is a key part of flapjack goodness.

[Kim]

Several Web definitions of golden syrup say that golden syrup can be used as a substitute for corn syrup. So I'm sure the reverse is true: corn syrup can be used in place of golden syrup.

[margene]

Oh my...they looks so good first hing in the morning!

[Elizabeth]

This is another name of cultural difference. Not regarding corn syrup versus golden syrup but the name "flapjacks". In North America pancakes are also flapjacks. We would call these "bars" or "squares". We would also call these very delicious looking and must try them, whatever you want to call them!

[Steph VW]

My Sister-in-law's mother-in-law makes those! WE LOVE THEM, and Mrs. T dearly. She's a British Expat who, at 70 is the eldest, and possibly most keen, fan of Mr. Happy's band.

We call them oatmeal squares... but I've heard of people calling them "Scotch cakes" as well.

Mrs. T has started adding a little something to her squares: Just before they are completely cooled, she places a Hershey's kiss on the top of each one. Yum.

[Tessenei]

In a pinch, Lyles Golden Syrup is available through Amazon.

[susoolu]

How did you know I had guests coming, who kill for flapjacks, and was looking for a well tested recipe!

[melissa]

Roger's Golden Syrup is widely available in Canada, and found in smaller amounts across the U.S.

It's akin to Holy Water in my family. A little sprinkle here... a little sprinkle there...

[Carrie]

Those look fantastic!! I'm going to try them this weekend. A little ironic since we are getting ready to celebrate our independence from you guys in a few days :) hee hee

I have one question though about the brown sugar. Since you say 'soft' does that mean not packed? Many baking receipes I use say packed and I know there can be a big difference in amount if it is just spooned in soft vs. pressed into the cup.
Thanks for the receipe!!

[Wendi]

I love the next to last picture with the toes as well. I wish I had toes pretty enough that I would want to put them on my blog. Alas, my toes are unlovely, and I try to help them out by NEVER letting them go without polish (even in the wintertime.)
OK, now I'm on a mission to get Golden Syrup and try those bars!

[shelley]

Golden syrup is available in British Columbia; I grew up with it as THE syrup on my pancakes. We can get Lyle's, but what is readily available is Roger's Golden Syrup. And corn syrup definitely tastes different than golden syrup and has a thinner consistency.

[Alicia P.]

Okay about the Golden Syrup, but Jane WHEREVER did you get such a MONSTROUSLY enormous flapjack pan????

[vicki]

Oh Jane now you have my mouth watering---those look scrumptuous!

[ness]

Ah! thank you as always I enjoy a vicarious sugar moment through your baking - thank you. Happily P ate flapjacks care of a generous houseguest last week so he has had his fix for
a little while.

[Rebecca]

I am delighted to see someone else feels the same about the tin versus the nasty plastic bottle! Great minds think alike and all that because I confessed on my blog, some time ago, that I have been known to drive to another supermarket just to track down a tin rather than a bottle. My heart will break if they discontinue those beautiful tins, we put ours to similarily good use around the house.

You use a slightly different recipe to me (and yours makes many more flapjacks), I intend to carry out some serious comparison cooking soon, all in the name of scientific research of course. Thanks for another lovely post.

[Kim]

Wow, those Golden Syrup tins brought back sweet memories of the years I lived in The Gambia, and used it in lieu of maple syrup on my pancakes. Note, I didn't use the word "flapjack" here.