Fresh Cranberry Flapjacks and other Festive Treats

Lots of sweet stuff knocking about at home and at work from mince pies to tubs of chocolates.  I share with you neither, except some seasonal  flapjacks made with cranberries.

Of course, you can use any dried fruit, but as I had some fresh cranberries left over from the Vegetarian Centre pie Pie that I decided to throw them into the flapjack oaty mixture.  I loved how the fresh cranberries burst.  It was not only zingy and sweet, it also had a bit of jamminess about them.  

I  should've sprinkled the flapjacks with a  little dessicated coconuts for the snowflake effect, but I think a Santa in the picture is enough of a statement that this is a recipe for the festivities.

I also made some individual vegan Gingerbread People Cakes

And some some vegan Oreo Wreaths for the nephews and nieces as they were popular the last time I made them.  I am sharing these Oreo Wreaths with Cakeyboi and The Baking Explorer for Decembers edition of Treat Petite: Red and Green. For the recipe follow this link. 

And some individual Gingerbread Cakes and  Cranberry and White Chocolate Muffins for the big kids.

Fresh Cranberry Flapjacks
Makes 8 - 12
Ingredients
125g butter
100g golden caster sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup
2 (or 4) tablespoons black sesame seed butter/paste  
260g rolled oats
80g - 100g fresh cranberries 
Optional: plus 2 tablespoons for topping

Method
In a pot, melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup, then remove from the heat and stir in 2 (or 4) tablespoons black sesame paste until well combined.  
Then stir in the rolled oats and optional cranberries until well combined.
Tip into a baking tin lined with non-stick parchment or silicon paper.
Smooth the oat mixture into the tin, pressing down with the back of a wooden spoon.
Optional: Then slowly splodge and spread over the remaining black sesame paste until the top is covered with it.
Bake in the oven 180oc/Gas Mark 4 for 20 minutes.  
Score whilst still warm.
Allow to cool, before removing from the tin.