I have tried about 10 times now to make these things...and have created everything from a pile of cement to a couple of frisbees....where am I going wrong....I use the recipe...4mm of oats, a covering of milk and 1 min in the microwave....but failure strikes everytime. What oats should I use? Maybe that's where I am going wrong? Any advice welcome?

Thanks

I too am having difficulty and wonder whether my oats are too big as everything just crumbles. On attempt number 3 in the fridge which we'll try later. This time I have made quite a paste (followed the microwave recipe on the packet but used a little less milk). We shall see how these work!

I've made these with Whole rolled oats (not quick cooking) as well as Quick oats (I just use plain old Quaker oats, because that's what we have/afford)

The whole oats are a little bigger and I find they work a little better than the smaller quick oats.

When mine come out of the microwave, they are like a VERY VERY thick sludge. They would slide slowly along the bottom of the dish, if tilted. When I stick them in the fridge they come out perfect.

Good luck.

OK attempt no3 is pretty bad too. Kind of like wallpaper paste but possibly OK to hold. When he FINALLY wakes up we shall see!

Well... a slight improvement. It was so sticky that whilst it was nowhere near a pancake, he was able to feed himself with it like you would mash which I think I'm going to try as he didn't like the steamed potatoes each time I've tried them.

lol, this is all very Adventures In The Kitchen... it is trial and error i'm afraid. next time less milk, perhaps? or cook it longer?

Try taking it out of the microwave after 45 secs ish, stirring it with a fork, then patting it down flat with the back of the fork as if making flapjack, before giving it another short go in the microwave (or you might need to increase the cooking time a bit too?) I think that's the crucial bit with ours...

I think I may have these cracked. But it's very utensil dependant. Small ikea bowl, 1 heaped tbs Tesco ordinary oats, 2 tbs milk, 2 mins at full power in 800 watt oven. Nome likes blueberries added,. but also raisins.

Totally utensil dependent. I've had complete success for weeks and weeks and weeks using the same two tupperware type bowls (do you HAVE tupperware there?)

Anyway, today I used a corningware caserrole because it was clean and my oats were completely ungelatinous like they should be!!! He had nothing to take with him to daycare!

So my advice, experiment in the same container and be prepared to keep making them in that container.

Good point Nutmeg.

Can anyone post a picture of what they should look like? All th photos seem to be of a baby eating them or having eaten them so not quite visible.

Here's one of Babybear eating one that's been cut up into wedges. as you can see, it's quite dried-out and flapjacky on the top. it will depend on a lot of things, i suppose, the microwave model, the oats, the bowl etc. and now i must go off and cry as i can't believe how young and sweet she looks...

It looks like a flapjack - even golden on top! OK I am on a mission...

but remember, it is still revoltingly gray and rubbery below...

This has worked for me. Shallow plastic bowl with Spingle's proportions. One thing I did do (albeit by accident) was I left it in the microwave cooling for hours which meant it wasn't too hard to peel off - plastic picnic knives are great spatulas I've found.

I now have a floppy pancake for Bruno's breakfast - although my guest wasn't too impressed!

if you need to get it cool quickly just dump the small bowl in a bigger one of cold water and you'll get the right effect.