Preheat the oven to 180 °C/350F/gas mark 5.

Melt the butter, sugar and syrup or treacle in a saucepan, but be careful not to let it boil. Stir in the porridge oats and the salt and mix thoroughly.

Press the mixture into a 8 inch round shallow tin and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and mark into slices. Lift from the tin and leave until cold before cutting. Store in an airtight container.

For a fruity flapjack add 3oz of chopped dried apricots, prunes, figs, raisins, coconut, nuts or chopped lemon and orange peel.

Deliciously sticky, yet eminently sensible, flapjacks are perfect snack food. They're portable, they keep well, and the oats are a good source of fibre, which slows the release of sugar into the body.

Carlton Food Network http://www. Cfn. Co. Uk/