Forgive the odd title (not quite poetic licence). The bottom layer is a crumbly shortbread, the top layer is a crunchy flapjack. Strawberry jam in the middle (or any jam you fancy) completes the sandwich. I think “Shortjacks” sounds marginally better than “Flapbreads”. And, as Shakespeare almost said, “What’s in a name? A Shortjack by any other name would taste as sweet.”

Makes: 16 fair sized squares or 12 bigger slices.

Time: Shortbread base – about 30 minutes + cooling. Mid layer – 5 minutes. Flapjack top layer – 30 minutes + cooling. So, if my Maths is correct, that’s just over an hour + cooling time.

Level: Simple

Equipment: A 20cm/8” square baking tin plus other basics such as bowl, wooden spoon etc. You can use an electric mixer, but could also manage without, the old fashioned way. (Sorry, meant to say “traditional”.)

Shortbread base ingredients (with Gluten-free option)

100g/4oz butter, softened
50g/2oz soft light brown sugar
180g/6oz plain flour (Use G.F. flour for a G.F. bake)
1 tsp xanthan gum powder (If making G.F., otherwise leave out)
Pinch of salt

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 in the chosen flour and xanthan gum powder (if making it G.F.). 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.

4. Mid-layer

Jam of choice, enough to cover the surface well – around 200g/7oz, maybe more. Put it on in small blobs while the bottom layer is still warm then it will spread easily.

Flapjack Ingredients (Top layer):

100g/3.5oz butter or use Flora/Stork/Buttery etcetera
85g/3oz – 100g/3.5oz Golden syrup
Around 175g/6oz – 200g/7oz porridge oats

Method:

5. Melt the butter (or Flora etc.) and syrup together in a large saucepan.

6. Stir in the oats then put blobs of the mixture over the jam and spread gently to cover all the jam. (Spreading these “blobs” carefully ensures the layers don’t get mixed together.)

7. Bake for 20 minutes (until golden).

8. Allow to cool in the tin. When cool, remove and cut into bars (12) or squares (16)

If you like this bake how about trying the new Peanut Butter & Chocolate version? It’s also mega-yummy.

I hope you make and enjoy one or both of these quick & easy tray bake treats. Click this link for more traybake recipes, or have a look at the rest of my site for lots of other great sweet and savoury recipes. Here are two others that I’d love you to try:

Coffee and Walnut Millionaires Shortbread