So it’s Day 1. Katy’s been back in York less than 24 hours. And we’ve hit an obstacle: it’s Made in Chelsea night.
We tell friends we watch Made in Chelsea for the clothes, like an abashed teenager telling his mum he reads Nuts for the interviews. But whatever our motivations, it’s imperative that we and our housemates can curl up on the sofas together with snacks and enjoy the voyeuristic escapism of lives a thousand times more glamorous than our own.
And here is the thorn in our soon-to-be-ripped sides: the snacks. We are snackers. What’s your favourite television show without popcorn or fruit pastilles or TWIRL BITES? Nothing, that’s what. Like a BLT without the bacon, the beach without donkey rides, the Harry Fairhurst without bean bags.
So, our first mission: find a moreish snack that won’t ruin our good intentions. We wanted something warm and delicious, which would feel indulgent and taste great, without being packed full of rubbish. We decided on flapjacks. Now these little squares aren’t low-fat or low-calorie – they contain sugar, butter and honey – but they’re natural, have just a handful of ingredients and are sweet enough to be satisfying after a few mouthfuls (if you can control yourself). We swapped golden syrup for honey, for a super-food kick, but otherwise used a traditional flapjack recipe. See below for the delicious results…
In a heavy-based saucepan, melt together 200g of unsalted butter, 200g of Demerara sugar and 200g of honey (or syrup, if you prefer).
Once smooth, combine with 400g of porridge oats and 50g of additional tasty bits of your choice – we went for unsweetened desiccated coconut and raisins, but you could add chocolate chips, nuts, grated apple, ginger…
Pour into a grease-proof tin and bake for fifteen-twenty minutes until golden brown on top. Leave for ten minutes or so (if you can bear it) until they’re cool enough to remove. Enjoy! We did…
