Flapjacks

Not pancakes but a type of oat bar - another recipe from my Scots-Irish ancestors. I have the builders in at the moment and they'll do anything (well, almost) for flapjacks and good coffee. A note on butter: don't try to fake it, find real European butter or Plugra - they have a lower water content and this is important for the authentic, dense, chewy experience.

Ingredients

2 sticks butter
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 tablespoons syrup (or 1 tablespoon syrup + 1 tablespoon maple syrup)
1 cup (densely packed) light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking tin (about 8" x 12") with baking parchment.

Melt butter, syrup and sugar slowly. Remove from heat. Add oats and salt. Mix well.* Empty the mixture into the prepared tin, pressing it in and smoothing flat.

Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and score into bite-sized pieces. Wait until cold before cutting through. (They are irresistible, but please try to avoid handling them until they are cold and caramelized or they will crumble.)

*It's not traditional, but I like to add a handful of dried fruit at this point - sour cherries or craisins work really well. Jumbo oats give added texture, but only replace a quarter of the regular oats with jumbo, or the texture won't be right - you have been warned.