Nuts about flapjack......

There are not many people who high five when they find out their shift has been changed to a six am start. But when you're a chronic insomniac an early morning is always a good thing...it's one less hour to lie in bed feeling like the whole world is asleep when you are not.

As the hours passed by at my desk I kept spinning around on my chair looking out of the window at a beautiful day just screaming out for a walk. In my head I knew exactly where I wanted to go...straight down to Swanpool Beach (it's just outside Falmouth). In the summer it's one of the best places to sunbathe....but it's not the sheltered cove or the amazing views or the free cup of tea you get when you park there (I know. Genius!) that tempt me down there. It's the hedgehog ice creams at the Swanpool Cafe. Large scoops of Cornish vanilla ice cream, wrapped in a poncho of clotted cream and rolled in honey toasted hazelnuts. It's the much more pleasurable modern day version of being tarred and feathered...You can guarantee you will put on three pounds just looking at one.


(I stole the photos from here www.cornwallpictures.co.uk ) Go there and look at the lovely snaps...

But that dream was shattered into a million wafer shards when I threw open the work doors to find puddles the size of the cafe's picnic benches. I couldn't get the hedgehog idea out of my head.....and I imagined what it would be like if it was 30'c and I had gone to Swanpool. I'd have bought a hedgehog ice cream AND a flapjack. As I'd shuffle back towards my beach towel I'd take a bite of my flap jack.....then a lick of my ice cream....then a bite of my....hang on a minute....inspiration hedgehog style.

Hedgehog Flapjacks....

Ingredients:

8oz (225g) soft brown sugar
8oz (225g) butter
11oz (280g) porridge oats
2 pinches salt
3 tbsp golden syrup

4oz (125g) salted butter
1 tin condensed milk (14oz or 400g)
2 tbsp golden syrup
3oz (85g) light brown sugar

8oz (225g) dark chocolate

4oz (125g) toasted hazelnuts.

Preheat the oven to 150'c. In a saucepan melt the sugar, butter, salt and syrup. Bring to the boil. Take off the heat and mix in the oats. Pour into a lined tine and bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Take out of the oven and cool in the tin.


In a pan melt the caramel ingredients together and simmer on a medium heat stirring constantly. Don't leave it for a second because it burns very quickly. Pour over the flapjacks and pop in the fridge for 15mins.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of boiling water. Pour over the caramel and spread evenly. Sprinkle the toasted hazelnuts over the top. Pop in the fridge until set. Chop into small squares and dream of the seaside!