I used to love these babies before I had to go gluten free. When I found out I couldn’t eat oats anymore I thought they, and flapjacks, were lost to me forever.

Oh how the tables have turned! I used a combination of quinoa and millet flakes to get the oaty, crumbly effect. They are effectively a date sandwich. DEEEELISH.

I’ve kept them refined-sugar free as well as gluten free so they’re not too naughty. Substitute the butter with coconut oil if you want a vegan version.

I enjoy these as a very sneaky pre-breakfast, F enjoys his with custard and their handy size and sturdiness makes them great for portable snacks (always tricky for anyone gluten free).

Makes approx 12 squares (if using rectangular smaller tin as I did as have apparently misplaced my recommended square tin) or about 16 in an 8in square tin

Adapted from Rachel Allen’s lovely book, ‘Bake‘

Ingredients

250 ml water

200g pitted dates, chopped

120g rice flour

30g tapioca flour

25g cornflour

1 tsp xanthum gum

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

130ml Grade A maple syrup

60g quinoa flakes

40g millet flakes (or 100g of either, I used both for texture)

175g butter, at room temperature

Method

Preheat the oven to 180° C/350° F. Grease your tin and line the bottom with greaseproof paper or baking parchment. Put the chopped dates in a saucepan with the water and simmer until there is no separation between dates and water and it is one gloopy date goo (about 10 minutes on a medium to low heat). Meanwhile, sift the flours, xanthum gum and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Add the butter, cutting it into flakes as you add it to the bowl. Rub the butter-flakes into the flour mixture until it resembles bread crumbs. Mix in the flakes (gently so they stay flakey!) and maple syrup until it becomes a sticky dough. Press half of the dough into the bottom of the tin to form an even mattress for the dates. Spread the date goo on its bed of dough. Sprinkle the remaining dough on top (I like to leave a few bits of date goo on view for the look and texture it takes on after baking). Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes until golden brown and set. IMPORTANT – let it cool down to room temperature before slicing into bars so the bars will stick.

(Nail polish – La Paz by Mavala)