Oat bars

Oat bars: essential kayaker fodder

• 14oz (4 cups) oats, half rolled, half wholegrain
• 1 cup wholemeal flour
• 2/3 cup demerara sugar
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 6oz butter (170g)
• cup of pecans or almonds
• 4 dsp golden syrup

• Melt the squiggy stuff, add to the dry stuff
• If too dry add a little water
• If too damp and sticky add a few more oats
• Mix until it binds and doesn't crack when squidged
• Squidge them into your special oat-bar sized cake tin, buttered
• Or, better, flatten them into a shallow tray and score the joins in (Ross's trick)
• Bake at 180°C for around 30 minutes until browned (top level in my oven)
• They come out soft but harden as they cool