Flapjacks that never fail

I have this recipe, scribbled on a brown envelope, in my father's hand. It is postmarked Fishguard, Dyfed -- July 1978. Why was my father overcome with a sudden urge to write down a flapjack recipe in a rush of inspiration and why had he saved this tatty old envelope? I recall that he found cooking tiresome and stressful, but perhaps he had a yen to bake cakes for the fete? I shall never know. The picture above, by the way, shows a reminder on my chalk board at home which was prompted by my youngest son. When making flapjacks with him, we don't usually get much into the oven. x

Our house is never short of flapjacks. I do diverge from the following recipe a little in that I sometimes add some flour to make them a bit weightier (for school lunchboxes)and a splash of milk -- which gives them a slightly creamy taste and me the impression that I am giving more calcium to my milk-shy offspring.

240g rolled oats
150g unsalted butter
60g demerara sugar
2 level tablespoons of golden syrup.

Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a saucepan then, in a large bowl, mix it into the oats. Just press the mixture into a greased 8 inch tin and bake for about 15 minutes in a medium hot oven.

Now, my father was a man who enjoyed precision. I notice that the recipe goes on to include the following in short neat sentences: "Bake in the centre of the oven. Cut into 2 inch squares. Cool in the tin. Turn onto a rack. Store in an airtight tin. Eat quickly before anyone else gets them."

I made these today after I looked at this recipe. I was glad I did. It's the twenty first anniversary of my father's death. I wish that, as an adult, I had known him. We could have had ourselves a proper tea party in the sun right now. He could admonish his grandsons.