Flapjacks are very popular in the UK. They are usually made as a traybake and are a mixture of oats, golden syrup, butter, and sugar. They are absolutely delicious but if you bake them at home, you’ll likely have too many to eat before they spoil.
So, how can you preserve them? The answer is that you can simply freeze them if you want to extend their shelf life. They freeze well and it’s not difficult to prepare them for freezing. In this article, we will tell you how to freeze flapjacks and how to defrost them.
How To Freeze Flapjacks
1. Bake and cool down the flapjacks.
You want the flapjacks to be completely cold before you put them in the freezer otherwise, they could become mushy. In addition, they may bring up the temperature in the freezer and other food may start to defrost and then spoil. To speed up the cooling down process, take the flapjacks out of the hot tin and put them on a cold plate or board.
2. Cut the flapjacks into portions.
It is a good idea to divide the flapjacks into portions so that you only defrost as many as you need at one time. Wrap each portion in two layers of cling film to ensure that they are airtight. If they’re not, freezer burn could occur, and this will ruin the taste and texture of your flapjacks.
3. Put the flapjacks in a freezer bag.
Squeeze out all the air from the freezer bag so that freezer burn doesn’t occur.
4. Put the bag in the freezer.
Tips For Freezing Flapjacks
- Use an airtight container instead of a freezer bag to protect your flapjacks. They could get squashed otherwise.
- If you are layering the flapjacks in a container, put a sheet of greaseproof paper in between each layer. This is extra protection against the flapjacks sticking together.
- If you are using freezer bags, use thick ones to help protect the flapjacks.
- If you plan to put a flapjack in your lunchbox, you can put it in while it is still frozen. It will defrost by lunchtime and will keep the rest of your food cool. Make sure that the flapjack is covered in cling film to avoid any moisture seeping into the rest of your food.
How Long Can You Freeze Flapjacks?
You can keep flapjacks in the freezer for around three months. After this time, the taste and texture will start to deteriorate even though the flapjacks will probably still be safe to eat. Mind you, flapjacks are so delicious that you probably won’t want to keep them in the freezer for as long as three months!
How Do You Defrost Flapjacks?
The best way to defrost flapjacks is slowly and steadily. Take them out of the freezer and put them in the fridge. Within about six hours, they will be ready to eat. However, as we have said, you can put them in your lunchbox in the morning and let them defrost ready for eating at lunchtime. Don’t leave them for any longer as they will start to go soggy.
Can You Refreeze Flapjacks?
Every time you freeze food, ice crystals are formed, and if you freeze a second time even more crystals are formed, and they can ruin the texture of your flapjacks. They could become soggy and not at all delicious to eat. Therefore it is a good idea to freeze flapjacks individually so that you only defrost as many as you need at one time and therefore, don’t waste any.
Is It A Good Idea To Freeze Flapjacks?
Flapjacks freeze pretty well but they won’t be quite as good as they would be if you ate them fresh. They can lose some of their texture and become crumbly. However, they are still delicious to eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, you now know all there is to know about freezing flapjacks but in case you want to know more about freezing them or about flapjacks in general, we have answered a few questions here.
You can but it doesn’t freeze as well as baked flapjacks. They will probably turn out a little mushy when you come to bake them. In addition, the batter will probably only last for a month in the freezer while baked flapjacks will last for three months.
If you put the flapjacks in an airtight container, they will last for up to 10 days before they start to become stale. If you want to keep them any longer, you will have to freeze them.
You can but they don’t freeze as well as plain flapjacks. It is better to drizzle over melted chocolate after you have defrosted plain flapjacks.