Fig Flapjacks

By far the softest, most figgy, jammy, beautiful flapjack I’ve ever made (as confirmed by my colleagues at the garden who gladly ate them too). With a combination of oats, rye flakes and acorn flour, these golden brown flapjacks couldn’t be easier or more useful to using up a few handfuls of leftover fruit or berries around this time of year.

The Recipe - Makes 18 - 55 minutes

• 200g Figs

• 350g Light muscovado / demerara sugar

• 350g Butter

• 420g Rolled / porridge oats

• 50g Rye flakes

• 30g Acorn flour (or more oats if you don’t have any)

• A pinch of salt

• 3 Large tbsp of honey or golden syrup

Step 1.

Preheat the oven to 180C (350f) and cut the figs in half whilst you wait for it to reach temperature. Place them in a bowl and sprinkle them with 50g of sugar and a pinch of salt, stir it all together, then set aside for 10 minutes.

Step 2.

Add the remaining sugar and butter to a large saucepan and place it over a medium heat until melted and dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and add the oats, rye and acorn flour, mixing it all together. Leave to one side for 10 minutes, allowing the starchy ingredients time to absorb the liquids, leading to a more homogenised flapjack.

Step 3.

Using a fork, mush up the figs to release the juice and fully dissolve the sugar and salt. This stage doesn’t really need a photo but look at it. Just look at it.

Step 4.

Line a 25-25cm deep baking tray with baking parchment and press half of the oat mixture in the base. Blob the figginess over this layer, then cover it all with the remaining oat mixture. Press it out roughly evenly so that none of the figs are directly exposed (or they’ll burn) and pop it in the oven for 50 minutes.

When done, let the flapjack rest for an hour before cutting it up. Best enjoyed the next day so the oats have time to really soak up excess fig jamminess. It will go super soft!

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.