Quakers? They eat porridge don’t they?

It’s a common belief. And some of us do quite like porridge. Occasionally. Not all the time. But Quaker oats really have nothing to do with us, the company just borrowed the name because of it’s implications of honesty and wholesomeness. I guess that is flattering.

Here’s my personal answer to the Quakers and porridge oats question. It’s perennially popular with my office colleagues, at study groups, shared lunches and area meeting teas. I might make some for my Buddhist sangha sometime soon. It’s also wheat-free and vegan.

Flapjacks

In a large saucepan, melt together:

5oz soft brown sugar

5oz margarine (the old fashioned hard kind works best)

2 tablespoons golden syrup

Then add:

8oz porridge oats

3 oz currants

Mix well, press into a greased swiss roll tin, bake at 180/gas 4 for about 30 minutes or 190/gas 5 of about 25 minutes. When done it will be lightly browned and ‘set’. If it’s still ‘runny’ in the middle, put it back in the oven for 5 – 10 minutes.

Cut into slices while still warm. Leave in the tin until cold.

The sugar can be light or dark brown, or any other sugar you happen to have. The golden syrup can be black treacle, or a mixture. The currants can be omitted altogether, or replaced by chopped dried apricots, or chopped mixed peel, or whatever you fancy! ‘Magic carpet’ cake tin liner makes it a lot easier to get the flapjacks out.

Cook, enjoy, share – perhaps with one of those people who thinks that Quakers live on porridge?