Flapjacks

With thanks to Katie Stewart and AA Milne who made some good recipes in very small quantities – this multiplies their ingredients by 6.  It is Pooh’s recipe, from the Pooh Cook Book, given to me by the Elliots for Christmas in 1973.  I was 6, they were nice people, and this was a very good present.  The page is much marked – a bit like ancient parchment - and Cai has signed his name on it in 2008, an old family favourite you might say.  It is a good one to make with small children, as it is so simple (but you do have to breath deeply when the oats start scattering – and call in the dog – and sometimes when the golden syrup ends up in the pigtails, there is nothing for it, but bath time).  This was one of the few dairy free, egg free things I could make for my allergic babies - now of course they can enjoy it as Pooh intended (full of butter).  However, as there is so much of it, you could dilute the butter with sunflower oil – that is, if you have a guilty conscience.  I don’t actually think Pooh had a conscience ……….

Butter, 12oz (1½ pks, or dairy free margarine or 6oz butter & 6oz sunflower oil)

Golden Syrup, 6 rounded tbsps

Sugar, soft brown, 6oz

Melt the sugar and butter into the syrup.  It doesn’t have to boil, but make sure there are no granules and it is a smooth caramel.  Mix in;

Oats, rolled porridge ones, 24oz

Salt, big pinch

Eat some mixture ‘raw’ (essential tradition – but beware, as you can get carried away and it might not even make it into the oven - these things have happened – oh yes).  Press the remainder firmly into a small roasting tin (20x30cms), lined with non-stick baking parchment, and bake for 20 minutes on 150C.

It should have a pale golden crust.  Let it cool a little in the tin, and mark out - about 24 squares - with a sharp knife pressing down any wrinkles.  Leave it to cool completely before attempting to remove from the tin.

25 February 2013

I had to make this today as Cai ‘needed’ it after a frosty football practice under arctic floodlights and it distracted his torrent of moaning about his woeful new position and craving for ‘proper’ chocolate bars, which aren’t organic…. This, a small snapshot of our life as it is now, and a glimpse of the consequence of a little too much maternal brainwashing and the emergence of a nearly 12 yr old backlash as the realisation dawns that there is ‘another world’ out there.  That of Cadbury’s and Nestle and Coke, ah well 12 blinkered years, not bad really. 

Amanda at Nantgwynfaen Organic Farm

Nantgwynfaen Porridge with Whisky and Cream

For Lucia and Marie and anyone else who likes their porridge creamy with Welsh whisky and 2 kinds of sugar...

Porridge oats (one handful per person), I use Essential Trading organic oats
Milk, semi skim or full cream - approximately 6 times the amount of oats... approx...
Salt, a small pinch, I use Halen Mon Welsh sea salt

If you remember, soak the porridge in some milk over night.  I never do this as I am too forgetful, but it will make it quicker.  Slowly heat the mixture, stirring occasionally to stop it sticking, allow a good half an hour to make this properly, don't let it boil.  You keep adding the milk until the oats are plump and saturated and when you drizzle a spoonful over the top of the mixture, it immediately sinks in and disappears.  You want it quite runny, if it isn't quite done it has this amazing habit of thickening when you put it into the bowl and instead of being creamy, smooth, and molten, it is rubbery and chewy, not good....

When you are satisfied that you can't fit any more milk into the oats and you have let it have come to the boil for a second, stirring all the time, serve into hot bowls and sprinkle with the following, in this order:

Muscovado Sugar, 1 - 2 tsp per person, sprinkle between your fingers.  This is the very very dark brown sugar and it will melt into a dark sweet syrup.
Demerera Sugar, 1 tsp per person, this will add a definite crunch to an otherwise smooth experience (I personally don't like the crunch and don't put it on, but Ken goes wild for it and insists that it is essential!)
Whisky, 1 tsp per person, I use Welsh Penderyn whisky, but Ken likes rum, or you could add your favourite tipple (but actually gin would be wrong, so stick to the dark stuff).
Cream, thick & double, 1 dsp

Serve immediately!

Some hardy sorts like to have this before their full fry up, but they are the exception, a bowl of porridge is normally quite satisfying enough on it's own!