A flapjack is a sweet, flat pastry that is about the size of a sandwich, bar or small cake. It is usually prepared in a square or rectangular shape, or baked in such shapes and then cut into manageable pieces.
Flapjacks are rather unknown in this country, but are becoming more and more popular as a tasty and healthy snack for in between meals. The term flapjack is not protected and can therefore be made up of many different ingredients. However, a flapjack is usually a snack made from oatmeal and other ingredients.
It is not intended as a main meal, but as a snack or meal replacement and is eaten by a wide variety of target groups – for example, by professionals, athletes or during leisure activities. As a meal replacement, flapjacks are particularly popular at breakfast. This makes the flapjack itself comparable to the more common muesli bar in this country, which is, however, made from other cereal products rather than oats. Also, granola bars are usually much smaller and not as filling as flapjacks.
What does the term „flapjack“ mean? explanation
The term „flapjack“ is made up of the two English words „to flap“ and „to jack“. While „to flap“ in this context can be translated as „to turn something“, „to jack“ in this context stands for „to wind something up“ or „to thicken something“. A flapjack is therefore a food that is quite thick and is turned over. This refers to its preparation in a frying pan. In the past, a flapjack was prepared in a frying pan and flipped – similar to a pancake – in order to fry it on both sides.
In the United States of America, pancakes are therefore still called flapjacks, even though they have a different meaning in this country. Translated, the term „flapjack“ therefore means something like „hot oat cake prepared in a pan“. However, the actual preparation often differs greatly from the idea of „oatcake rolled in a pan,“ as flapjacks are now often prepared on a baking sheet that is heated in the oven. The individual flapjacks are then simply cut to size and are ready to eat from that point on.
Where does the term „flapjack“ come from? Word origin, origin
The term „flapjack“ originates from the Anglo-Saxon language area and can be traced back to 19th century England. This was the age of the British industrial revolution, in which industrial workers had to prepare simple but high-energy meals for themselves at home on a manageable budget. Potential ingredients for this were eggs and oatmeal or oatmeal, which were available everywhere and cheaply at the time. From these, workers prepared simple and wholesome breakfast meals or snacks by flipping small oat cakes in cast-iron pans.
Flapjack quickly spread to the rest of the English-speaking world, such as the United States of America. Even today, the flapjack is therefore still known primarily in Great Britain, the USA and Canada. In the other English-speaking regions of the world, such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, the flapjack is also known, but is much less common. Presumably, oats as a useful plant were never really in focus in the latter regions.
A definitive answer to the origin of flapjack cannot be given, however, as it originated among the people and the term was also formed rather colloquially. Therefore, the real meaning of the term flapjack is also unclear to this day.
What ingredients are needed for a „flapjack“?
Flapjacks can be prepared in many different ways. As a rule, however, oatmeal or oat flour, eggs and butter are the basic ingredients of this dish. In addition to the basic ingredients, flapjacks are often mixed with various flavorings such as peanut butter, protein powder, coconut oil or nuts.
Furthermore, dried fruit, sugar, marzipan or other ingredients can also be used to prepare flapjacks. The flavors of flapjacks can also be influenced individually with the help of honey, vanilla extract, cinnamon or other spices. In fact, there is no set recipe for the preparation of flapjacks. What is important are primarily the basic ingredients plus the additional, flavor-bringing ingredients, which can be supplemented or exchanged as desired.
How is a „flapjack“ prepared?
To prepare a flapjack, you first need all the basic ingredients plus the individual additional ingredients. These are oatmeal, butter, sugar and nuts and fruits of individual choice. For the preparation, the oven must first be preheated to 180 degrees Celsius. At the same time, a rectangular or square baking dish (about 20 by 30 centimeters in size) can be greased. This is done because the flapjacks should not stick to the baking tray later. After greasing, then generously lay out baking paper on the baking sheet.
The next step is to prepare the dough for the flapjack. To do this, first heat the butter and some sugar over medium heat in a saucepan or deep pan and mix well. This should be done until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
After everything is heated and mixed well, other ingredients such as nuts or fruit can be added and stirred in as well. The dough is then ready and can be put on the baking pan prepared in the first step. It must then be smoothed out (preferably with a moistened cake spatula).
Now bake the baking tray with the flapjack dough for about 20 to 25 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius top and bottom heat on the middle rack until it reaches a golden brown color. After that, the baking tray can be removed from the oven and now only needs to cool down a bit. Once the baking sheet with the flapjack has cooled, it can be cut into equal-sized pieces with a sharp knife.
The finished flapjacks can then either be eaten directly or used as a snack between meals. As a serving suggestion, more fruit, maple syrup or peanut butter can be added, with which the flapjacks are eaten together.
Why are „flapjacks“ eaten at all?
Flapjacks are eaten overall for a variety of reasons. The main reasons are that flapjacks are very nutritious and inexpensive and are also ideal as a healthy snack between meals. This makes flapjacks especially suitable for people who are under a lot of time pressure. Furthermore, flapjacks include relatively simple ingredients that everyone usually has at home, or they are an excellent way to use leftovers.
Flapjacks are also rich in fiber as well as complex carbohydrates and proteins and are therefore perfect for athletes to replenish their energy stores on the one hand and to provide proteins for muscle building on the other. Finally, flapjacks are suitable for all age groups and for many applications and can be used either as breakfast, snack or dessert. Depending on personal preference, a flapjack can also be prepared in very different ways in terms of taste.
Conclusion on the subject of „flapjacks“ and similar terms
In summary, a flapjack is a very healthy, inexpensive and uncomplicated small meal. This comes from the English-speaking world, but is also becoming increasingly popular in this country and is roughly equivalent to the muesli bar, which is more widespread in Germany.
Flapjacks can be prepared individually and, above all, quickly in the oven at home with just a few simple steps and using manageable ingredients. They are therefore suitable for working people, athletes or, in principle, for people with little time or a limited budget. Foods similar to flapjacks include oatmeal cookies, granola bars, oatmeal pancakes, and oatmeal muffins, all of which are prepared in a similar way or taste the same. All of these foods use oatmeal or oat flour as the basic ingredient. Definition