Coconut Cherry Flapjacks (Vegan, Wheat & Gluten Free)

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I have a bit of a thing for vintage china...these were all charity shop acquisitions!

This is a bit of a more decadent take on a classic recipe, and it has the bonus of being easy to make and wheat-free too. 

To make it gluten free, simply make sure you are using gluten free ingredients - check your sugar and oats in particular.

Makes 12 generous bars

Ingredients

230g vegan margarine
230g brown sugar
6 tbspn golden syrup
450g rolled oats
60g dessicated coconut
200g glacé cherries (halved)
18x28cm (or similar size) shallow baking tin

Method

Grease your baking tin & preheat the oven to 180C/350F.

Put margarine, sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan over a low heat and melt gently, stirring until it becomes liquid. (The fat will probably float to the top but don't worry.)

Measure out the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Carefully stir in the hot margarine/sugar liquid and mix thoroughly, making sure all the oats are coated.

Pour into baking tin, push the mixture into the corners and flatten down to make an even surface on top.

Bake at 180 for around 30 minutes or until golden.

Allow to cool before removing your sticky deliciousness from the tin with a palette knife or spatula. 

They do stick at the bottom, and I usually end up using a big metal spatula to scrape them 
out. It's a bit of an art form, but if they fall apart, wait for them to cool a bit more.

(Tip: Cut into bars while still warm before the sugar sets hard on top)

Enjoy with your favourite afternoon tea!


Pro-tip

You can use this basic recipe and swap out the coconut and cherries for other things like nuts, dried fruit or just leave it plain. I always say, use what you have, and this is a great one for using up old bits of leftover nuts and raisins.

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