Biscuit query...

[RonD]

Why do ginger nuts turn soft if left out but Fig Rolls turn as hard as concrete?

 

[Robert_374242026]

dampness in the air for ginger nuts.

 

[BeemerMal]

Ron D....Going back to my days when I worked for United Biscuits I may be able to give you an answer in laymans terms.

The base dough used to make the two types of biscuit is totally different.

Ginger nuts, digestive, shorties, etc; are all made of whats called a "soft dough" (a bit like short pastry) This is pressed into a set of rollers to form the biscuit shape and the biscuit pieces come off the rollers onto a conveyor belt before being baked. This biscuit dough is very open textured and contains a good proportion of fats so it remains very soft and it provides the desired eating quality. The baked texture is therefore soft and crumbly such that it absorbs moisture more readily. The ginger nut appears hard when opened because it contains a lot of sugar which caramalises the biscuit when being baked.

Biscuits like Fig Rolls and Garibaldi are made from a "hard dough" (a bit like the pastry used for Pork Pies but with added sugar) This is because it needs to be rolled out and the fig filling is piped onto the dough and then the dough is rolled up to create the biscuit shape (like a long sausage roll.) In the case of Garibaldi fruit is spread on the bottom sheet and the top sheet lays over the fruit and a series of rollers compress the two layers of dough into the fruit to make the biscuit. This type of dough does not have the same level of fat content and therefore it dous not absob the moisture as readily.

The next baking lesson is....How to dunk a Ginger Nut Any takers?

 

[RonD]

Thanks BeemerMal,

Thanks for the explanation... I thought that's how they were made(!!!).....

'How to dunk a ginger nut?' in my case very quickly or I have a problem, with the biscuit or what remains of it in the bottom of the cup!

 

[colin-yorkshire]

how to dunk a ginger nut easy just keep them in the fridge try it ?/ let me know if it works for you.

colin

 

[Wendy-Norfolk]

Why aren't ginger nuts the same as they used to be?

You had to dunk it first, otherwise it nearly broke your teeth they were that hard!!

 

[BeemerMal]

Another way is to hold him up by his ankles (may take two people) make sure you are over some water (for health and safety purposes ensure it is deep enough as not to cause harm) and then very slowly dunk him in the water, head first, just for a couple of seconds, then pull him out. Repeat this as often as you want but make sure you don't tire yourself out.....lol

Careful not to upset any ginger nuts on this board (I was one once, before the grey set in) this task can also be succesfully achieved if you use blonds or brunettes.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

A word of warning if taking Mals advice ...

1. When the dunker is dunking the dunkee head first please watch for the air bubbles to stop, if so raise straight away. A good sign of trouble is if the dunkee expels stale air from the rear.

2. The dunker when dunking the dunkee head first should observe the said dunkee. Dunking could cause a rush of blood to the brain so watch for bulging eyeballs ... ignore this warning if the person is blonde.

 

[Jeff-Pontypridd]

I heard somewhere that the difference between biscuits and cakes is that biscuits turn soft and cakes turn hard, when left. There was some dispute over Jaffa cakes, as (I seem to remember) one or the other (biscuits/cakes) attract no VAT, or some such thing.