Rickety Uncle (1940) ★★★

I love the name of this recipe!
Internet sleuthing didn't turn up much information about these simple bars. They seem to be one of those "hand-me-down" recipes that people remember their grandmothers making. There seems to be a few different versions, but it always includes brown sugar and oats, with very little fat. Some versions include flour, but this one doesn't - but I love that there are only 4 ingredients.

Original Recipe:


The Verdict:
This turned out basically like crisp topping. Some pieces held together alright once it had cooled completely, but most of it either crumbled as I cut it or crumbled when I took a bite. It was just too dry to stick together like a bar. It needed just a bit of milk or flour or something in there. Regardless, Mr. Man said these were "amazing" and "delicious" and I agree. I would advocate making these, just add a little something more to help them keep together or perhaps just use a little less oats. Also, don't worry if they do fall apart - they are supposed to be "rickety", after all. Plus we used the crumbs for a delicious parfait! I gave the recipe itself three stars, but the taste was definitely worth four.

Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from United Farmers of Canada, Saskatchewan Section Limited Cook Book)

This is easy to follow from the original recipe. A hot oven is 400 - 450F, so I went with 425F for the suggested 10 minutes.

Anje graduated with a Honours Bachelors degree in History with a minor in Museum Studies. She currently lives and works in Japan's least populous prefecture as an assistant English teacher.

22 comments:

  1. These look simple enough to make with few ingredients. My kind of recipe...

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  2. They are supposed to be crumbly but your were too crumbly because they were cooked at a bit too high of a temp. Try them at 350 or 375.

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  3. OMG when I was at University and had the munchies, I would melt butter and mix it together with brown sugar and oats . I'd never even bake it, just eat it up with a spoon. I thought I'd invented it! (I'm surprised I still have teeth)

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  4. My mom used to make this in the morning while we were getting ready for school, after we'd announced that it was our turn to bring something to school - of course, forgetting to let her know the night before - she always coped and we loved it!

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  5. Origin is Irish. 450 oven much too hot, 350 oven is all that's needed.

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  6. I wonder if adding an egg would help to keep these from being too crumbly. I wi make as soon as I get home today.

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  7. I always put this on top of a pan of sliced apples then bake as directed. So good

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  8. I wonder if a little maple syrup, or nut butter would help

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  9. My family had a recipe that is exactly like this except you add a squeeze of lemon juice. It makes them taste a lot better. The name of our recipe is « Uncle Wiggly »

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    1. Cute names…Rickity Uncle or Uncle Wiggly…I bet the children would get a giggle from the names.

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  10. They look & sound like flapjack….I don’t add sugar to mine just golden syrup

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  11. This recipe was my mom’s lifesaver when my siblings and I were going to school. We always had a sweet treat. She would bake it first thing in the morning. Loved waking up to the sweet smell of the bars baking!

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  12. You may as well just make no bake cookies. Butter, sugar boiled, add vanilla and oats and drop by tsp onto wax paper. Holds together and basically the same.

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  13. Add cinnamon and chocolate chips?

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  14. I have been making this for 30 years if you need diet you can substitute the brown sugar with diet maple syrup it’s also very good

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  15. A local coffee shop sells these and I was intrigued by the name and because they looked like the oatmeal cookies my mom used to make. They do crumble a bit but they are delicious. A bit sweet but fabulous.

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  16. I grew up earing this. My mum puts a chocolate glaze on hers. Family favourite.

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