This more-ish creation is based on my Flapjack recipe. I developed it to have something that worked as cereal bars (granola bars) for packed lunches, but the recipes I found seemed very complicated, and often American. This one isn’t! It is very popular just as flapjacks, though. See Notes for baking tips.
6 oz butter
6 oz soft brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
6 oz porridge oats
1 oz desiccated coconut
1 oz rice krispies
4 oz deluxe dried mixed fruit (includes dried apricot and cranberries)
Melt the butter gently in a largish pan. Add the sugar, and let bubble together briefly, so the sugar just about melts. (How little or much influences how firm they end up.) Add the vanilla, then stir in the fruit, then the oats and coconut, blend well. Add in the rice krispies and mix until evenly distributed.
Line, or grease & flour, a 7″ x 10″ tray. Alternatively, a 7″ x 9″ silicone tray is great without preparation, I sit mine on a steel tray for support and ease of handling.
Press the mixture evenly and firmly into the pan. Bake at 170°C for 25-30 min. *
Remove from oven and place it still in the tin on a cooling rack. Leave until well cold and set, before cutting up into bars. Makes 16 cereal bars (~1.8g fibre each, or 4.8g per 100g), or 20 smaller flapjack snack size.
Package separately in small re-used/re-usable zip-lock bags to freeze ready for popping into a packed lunch.
* Notes – in a plain steel tray, try 25 min. If using silicone, it insulates the mixture a bit hence aim for 30 min for soft but firm. When making cereal bars, press gently all over with the back of a spatula 5 min after taking it out of the oven. If you like a bit of crunch, try another 5 min.)
Vegan version – use a block vegan margarine in place of the butter, I’ve found Naturli’ Block has a nice clean taste. I didn’t like the result with Flora.