Annie’s Peanut Flapjack Shortbread
published by annielundy on May 21, 2009
An old recipe transformed to tempt the taste buds.
Image via Wikipedia
Image via Wikipedia
You all know those “wholesome” breakfast or snack bars, all individually wrapped and quite costly? Well, you can make your own even better version for a lot less money, with a lot more flavour. This old recipe I have had for over 30 years, thanks to the great Marguerite Patten, and I have amended it to give a little extra taste and a naughty variation. This will make 8 triangles of cake for you.
Ingredients and Method (Shortbread)
2 ounces of butter, 1 ounce of sugar, 4 ounces of plain flour.
A little milk to bind it all together.
Mix it all in a bowl, form into a firm ball, not too sticky, then press out into a greased, 8″ round cake tin. Easy, no need to roll out, just use clean hands.
Ingredients and Method (Flapjack)
1 and 1/2 ounces of margarine, 1 ounce of sugar (brown is best but white will do)
1 big tablespoon of Golden Syrup, 4 ounces of porridge oats, dried, 1 ounce of salted peanuts, broken slightly
Time now to heat the oven to Gas Mark 3 (160C or 325F)
Put the peanuts in a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin to make them about half size. Melt the margarine with the sugar and syrup, stirring all the time to ensure you don’t turn it into toffee. Mix in the oats and peanuts. Spoon this over the shortbread base, smoothing and spreading it with the back of the spoon. Pop in the oven for 35 minutes. Cut into 8 equal portions while it is still hot. Leave it to cool and store in an airtight box.
Here comes the naughty variation.
Melt about 12 chunky squares of good quality milk or plain chocolate (I prefer Cadbury’s) in a bowl over a pan of hot, not boiling water. Keep stirring till you have a thick velvety liquid chocolate. With your spoon, spread over the individual portions, then put on a plate and cool in the fridge in a secret location till ready to serve.
Healthy Variation: Instead of salted peanuts, add a tablespoonful of dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots or sultanas, and leave off the chocolate. However you do it, these babies are beautiful, easy and very cheap. What more can I say?
