Flapjack of the year 2016 first semi final

Flapjack of the year 1st Semi Final

After a year of research and having consumed many squares of flapjack then today it was finally time for the first semi final in the hunt for flapjack of the year 2016.

Four cafes had made it through qualifying for todays flapjack off. The best two would then go through to the final later this week. It would be a 50 mile round trip to purchase the flapjack before returning to Crusader Towers where a panel of flapjack experts would decide who would progress in the competition. 

I set off just after rush hour with a short leg to Pandora's Kitchen in Norwich. They were the only cafe who had also made the finals of cheese scone of the year 2015 showing fantastic consistency. They were hoping to make it all the way to the final this time round after falling at the semi final stage last year. 

Collect flapjack from Pandora's Kitchen

On arrival I was informed that the flapjack was just out the oven so I knew it was fresh. It was walnut and maple flavour and my panel of experts all thought it had a good crumb and clean flavours.

Pandoras Kitchens Walnut and Maple flapjack

From here It was along ride out to the coast to Smallsticks cafe which overlooks Happisburgh lighthouse. It is the cafe I have been to most times this year so it must be good as it's a 50 mile round trip.

You can see Happisburgh lighthouse from the smallsticks outdoor seating area

Their flapjack was cherry and coconut which was the marmite of today's flapjack as some of the panel of flapjack experts don't like coconut. Those who did found it a nice piece as it wasn't too sweet.

Smallsticks cherry and coconut flapjack

It was then back into Broadland and Potter Heigham to Bridgestones. When their flapjack was first shortlisted it was called Potters tearoom but it is now under new management so I wasn't sure if this would impact the flapjack. On arrival I was glad to see some good looking traybake was there.

Potters tea room is now called Bridge stones but still has excellent flapjack

My panel of experts enjoyed the nuttiness of the flapjack with plenty of ingredients on show.

Bridgestones Nutty flapjack 

The final stop of the day was at Salhouse Garden centre cafe. They were the last cafe I had gone to in the preliminary rounds so had snuck into the semis at the last minute. Unfortunately when I got there they had sold out of flapjack. The closest they had was coconut and raspberry slice or white chocolate tiffin so I bought some of those instead.

Outside Salhouse garden centre about to go and buy some flapjack from the cafe,
 but they didnt have any.

Sadly as neither coconut and raspberry slice or white chocolate tiffin is flapjack I had to immediately disqualify them from the competition.

White chocolate tiffin and coconut and raspberry slice from Salhouse garden centre cafe,
which are not flapjack

With the flapjack for the 1st semi final all safely on board it was back to Crusader Towers for the flapjack off. Any flapjack that had made it this far was obviously going to be good so it was a tough decision but in the end Pandoras and Bridgestones won out and will progress to meet the winners of tomorrow's second semi final in the great flapjack off final later in the week.