Mother's Oat Cookies

Serves: To make about 30 cookies

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Ready In: 25 mins

1½ tablespoons - Golden Syrup

5 oz - butter (or margarine)

4 oz - sugar

3 oz - rolled oats (porridge oats)

2 oz - dessicated (dried) coconut

4 oz - plain flour (all purpose flour)

2 teaspoons - bicarbonate of soda (baking powder)

1 tablespoon - hot water

Put the syrup and butter (or margarine) in a large pan and gently melt together (do not allow this to become too hot) then add the sugar and stir until it is dissolved. Add the rolled oats, coconut and plain flour (all purpose flour) and stir together. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the hot water and allow it to finish effervescing (fizzing) then add this to the mixture in the pan and stir again till thoroughly mixed. (The mixture may seem quite dry but this is normal).
Take a little of the mixture in your hands and roll into a ball about 1" (2.5cm) in diameter (just like making a miniature snowball!). Place this on a flat baking tray that has been very lightly oiled or greased with butter and press it slightly flat so that it has a circular shape and is no more than ½" (1cm) deep.
Repeat this process making sure you leave at least 2" (5cm) between the circles of dough to give them room to spread. Don't worry if your baking tray only holds a few, you can bake them in batches.
Place the baking tray into a preheated low oven (Mk 3 - 325ºF - 170ºC) for about 12-15 minutes until the biscuits turn a very light golden colour. Remove the biscuits and place them on a wire cooling rack if you have one - otherwise a large flat plate will work. As you remove them, they will still be moist and flexible so it's best to use a slice to move them.
If you don't have a wire cooling rack and are using a flat plate, after about 10 minutes of cooling, turn the biscuits over to allow the other side to cool and dry also. Once cold, they can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.