FODMAP friendly Chocolate Oat Squares

This is a very quick and easy recipe to make, passed down to me through the generations and I have adapted it by adding a few flavours I like and made it FODMAP friendly. 

This recipe was given to me at my engagement celebration, called a kitchen tea in South Africa. In NZ it is a hen’s party. My mother-in-law had written it out on a card for me, as one of the recipes she often made for her children. I have now made sure that I make it for my children, who of course are all adults now, to enjoy something their father had enjoyed when he was young. I have made it many times and it is enjoyed by young and old. The coconut and oats flavours are very subtle.

The recipe can be varied by replacing the spelt flour with regular flour. You can also omit the coffee and the vanilla essence if you prefer to do so. Play around it with it too, by adding more or less cocoa to get the flavours you enjoy.

Prep time:  Approximately 10 minutes

Bake time:  25 minutes

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C.  Grease a baking tray.

1. Cream the sugar and butter until well mixed.
2. Add the rest of the base dry ingredients and mix. I put mine in my Kenwood mixer and just mix it.
3. Press the base into a greased baking tin and bake at 170 degree celcius for 25 minutes.
4. While that is cooking, heat the icing sugar, cocoa and boiling water (with dissolved coffee granules) together.
5. Add the vanilla essence just before step 6.
6. Remove the base from oven and pour over the melted warm icing.
7. Cut while warm into squares and allow to cool in tin before removing.
8. Once cooled, remove and store in a sealed container at room temperature. It lasts for quite a long time.

Note: These can be frozen and thawed when ready to eat.