These chunky, crunchy, gooey bars taste great and are really easy to make.

Makes: 12 – 16 pieces

Time: 90 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Equipment: 23cm/9” square tin

Ingredients

These are fairly approximate, you might want to increase or decrease slightly depending on the thickness required for the middle and top layers. For the fruity filling aim for around 650g/1lb 7oz. If necessary add in dried fruit to make up the weight. For the flapjack layer you can add in more oats if a drier, less sticky topping is wanted. It’s a flexible recipe.

SHORTBREAD BASE

• 100g/4oz butter, softened
• 50g/2oz light muscovado sugar
• 175g/6oz plain flour
• Pinch of salt

FRUITY FILLING

• 450g/1lb apples (or pears or a mixture) – peeled, cored and chopped
• 30g/1oz golden caster sugar
• 175g/6oz dried apricots, chopped
• Raisins, sultanas etc if needed to make up the weight

FLAPJACK TOPPING

• Zest from 1 large orange
• 1 – 2 tbsp orange juice
• 200g/8oz golden syrup
• 150g/5.5oz porridge oats (or more, if desired)

Method

1. Heat the oven to 160C / Fan 140C / 325F / Gas 3. Grease and line the tin.

2. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift the flour in, add a pinch of salt  and stir to mix smoothly.

3. Tip into the tin and press down level using floured hands or a floured plastic dough scraper. Prick with a fork then bake for 15 minutes, until the edges begin to colour a little. Set aside to cool.

4. Put the apples and/or pears in a medium saucepan with the golden caster sugar. Cover loosely and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 – 12 minutes, until the fruit is soft and pulpy. Add the apricots and continue cooking on a medium/low heat, uncovered for about 15 minutes, stirring regularly. Cool for a few minutes then whizz to form a puree.

5. Increase the oven temperature to 190C / Fan 170C / 375F / Gas 5. Spread the filling evenly over the shortbread base.

6. Combine the topping ingredients in a large bowl and mix well, making sure all the oats are coated. Spread over the filling.

7. Return tin to the oven and bake for a further 20 – 30 minutes, until set. Cool in the tin then cut into pieces.

I hope you bake and enjoy this recipe. Click this link for more tasty traybake recipes.

Here are just a few of my current personal favourites that I’m sure you’ll love too:

Blueberry and Orange Flapjack

Coffee and Walnut Millionaires Shortbread

Honeycomb Brownies

If you’d like to make a comment or ask a question please do, via the contact page, or have a look at the rest of my site for lots of other great sweet and savoury recipes.

Happy Baking and Very Best Wishes

Ian