Baking For Beginners: Dark Chocolate and Ginger Flapjacks

Hello there. I'm Miss Cay, the newest addition to the Domestic Sluts team. I'd like to say that I have been recruited to this blogroll because of my wit, grace, style and cocktail-mixing ability; but I would be lying. I'm here for one reason, and one reason only-and it isn't because of my world reknowned ironing skills.

I'm a baker.

Yes, it's a bit of a guilty, geeky confession to make all things considered. I'd like people to think that I'm really a hard drinking woman who stays up until dawn seducing boys with my knowledge of obscure 90s rave records and my whiskey drinking abilities, but in reality, I'm more likely to be found writing down recipes into my little black recipe book, and adding to my collection of differently shaped cookie cutters which I keep in a shoebox under my bed. Hey, just call me South Manchester's answer to Nigella Lawson.

Anyway, in light of the lovely Siany's post of a few days ago where she gives thanks to the glorious combination of tea and biscuits, I thought that it might be nice to start off with something that's not only damn tasty, but that can also be made in the space of half an hour. After all, sometimes life is just too damn short for baking.

MISS CAY'S DARK CHOCOLATE AND GINGER FLAPJACKS

INGREDIENTS:
250g Butter
100g Demerara Sugar
200g Golden Syrup
250g Rolled Oats
75g Plain Flour
100g Crystallised Stem Ginger
100g Dark Cooking Chocolate, chopped into chunks.

MAKE IT!
1) Preheat oven to 170c/gas mark 3. Line a tin with greaseproof paper.
2) Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a large pan over a low heat until the butter and sugar have completely melted.
3) Add the rolled oats, flour, dark chocolate chunks and stem ginger. Stir well.
4) Spread the mixture over the tin and bake for 30-35 minutes. Cut into 12 squares, but not all the way through. Leave to cool.

Serving suggestion? Well, why not gobble up with a cup of your preferred beverage. (I've found that these go really really well with a mug of strong builder's tea). Preferably whilst watching some crap afternoon television. May I suggest Come Dine With Me?