The Little Guide to English Biscuits

In the UK, biscuits aren't just nibbled on any old way: they accompany a cup of tea, are shared at the office, and are dipped, with varying degrees of skill. Every household has its biscuit tin and its favourites. Here's a quick look at some of the classics.

The Digestive, the national biscuit

Created in 1892 by Alexander Grant for McVitie's, the Digestive is a whole wheat biscuit, lightly salted, neither too dry nor too sweet. It is also available with a chocolate coating. It can be found in almost every British kitchen.

Rich Tea and Hobnob: the two schools of thought on tea soaking

Rich Tea is delicate and subtle: it soaks up quickly, but you have to take it out in time, before it sinks to the bottom of the cup. Hobnob, launched in 1985, is the complete opposite: a thick oatmeal biscuit that lasts much longer in hot tea. As for Ginger Nuts, hard and flavoured with ginger, they seem made for dipping.

The filled biscuits: Custard Cream, Bourbon and Garibaldi

The Custard Cream combines two vanilla biscuits, decorated with embossed patterns, around a custard-flavoured cream, the British version of crème anglaise. The Bourbon combines two cocoa biscuits with a chocolate cream. The Garibaldi, created in 1861, encloses a layer of currants between two thin layers of pastry. English schoolchildren nicknamed it the "squashed fly biscuit."

shortbread, the Scottish specialty

shortbread is a very buttery shortbread cookie that originated in Scotland. Its name comes from "short," which in Old English referred to a crumbly dough. McVitie's shortbread fingers are perfect for sharing with tea or coffee.

Is Jaffa Cake a cake or a biscuit?

Invented by McVitie's in 1927, the Jaffa Cake combines a sponge cake, orange jelly, and a thin layer of chocolate. Its legal status was debated, even going to court in 1991: it was ruled a cake, notably because a cake hardens with age, while a biscuit softens.

Savoury options: crackers and oatcakes

The British serve their cheeses with crackers: Jacob's Cream Crackers, Table Water Carr's thin crackers, or Nairn's oatcakes, Scottish oatcakes with a slightly rustic taste. A piece of cheddar and a spoonful of pickle are placed on top.

Where can I find these biscuits?

The entire selection is in the Biscuits aisle, and the crackers are in the Crackers aisle. For tea to go with them, head to the Tea aisle.