74-807: A biscuit , in many English-speaking countries, including Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, India, and South Africa but not Canada or the US, is a flour-based baked and shaped food item. Biscuits are typically hard, flat, and unleavened . They are usually sweet and may be made with sugar , chocolate , icing , jam , ginger , or cinnamon . They can also be savoury, similar to crackers . Types of biscuit include biscotti , sandwich biscuits , digestive biscuits , ginger biscuits , shortbread biscuits, chocolate chip cookies , chocolate-coated marshmallow treats , Anzac biscuits , and speculaas . In most of North America, nearly all hard sweet biscuits are called " cookies " and savoury biscuits are called "crackers", while
148-537: A Natufian hunter-gatherer site more than 14,000 years old in northwest Jordan. The Romans were the first to grind seeds on cone mills . In 1786, at the beginning of the Industrial Era , the first steam-powered flour mill, Albion Mills, Southwark , was completed in London . In the 1930s, some flour began to be enriched with iron, niacin, thiamine and riboflavin. In the 1940s, mills started to enrich flour and folic acid
222-593: A snack food , and are, in general, made with wheat flour or oats, and sweetened with sugar or honey. Varieties may contain chocolate, fruit, jam, nuts, ginger, or even be used to sandwich other fillings. The digestive biscuit and rich tea have a strong identity in British culture as the traditional accompaniment to a cup of tea and are regularly eaten as such. Some tea drinkers dunk biscuits in tea, allowing them to absorb liquid and soften slightly before consumption. Chocolate digestives , rich tea, and Hobnobs were ranked
296-471: A 14% moisture content. Thus, a US flour with 0.48% ash would approximate a French Type 55. Other measurable properties of flour as used in baking can be determined using a variety of specialized instruments, such as the farinograph . Flour dust suspended in air is explosive —as is any mixture of a finely powdered flammable substance with air ( see dust explosion ). Some devastating explosions have occurred at flour mills, including an explosion in 1878 at
370-650: A bit more strength than cakes, but still produce flaky crusts rather than hard or crispy ones. All-purpose, or "AP flour", or plain flour is medium in gluten protein content at 9.5–11.5% (10–12% from second source ) protein content. It has adequate protein content for many bread and pizza bases, though bread flour and special 00 grade Italian flour are often preferred for these purposes, respectively, especially by artisan bakers. Some biscuits are also prepared using this type of flour. "Plain" refers not only to AP flour's middling gluten content but also to its lack of any added leavening agent (as in self-rising flour). Bread flour
444-423: A dedicated section in most European supermarkets, often in the same aisle as sweet biscuits. The exception to savoury biscuits is the sweetmeal digestive known as the " Hovis biscuit ", which, although slightly sweet, is still classified as a cheese biscuit. Savoury biscuits sold in supermarkets are sometimes associated with a certain geographical area, such as Scottish oatcakes or Cornish wafer biscuits. In general,
518-494: A drink into which they may be dunked . In Italy, they are typically served as an after-dinner dessert with a Tuscan fortified wine called Vin Santo . Outside of Italy, they more frequently accompany coffee , including cappuccinos and lattes , or black tea . In Catalonia , carquinyolis are usually served with a small glass of a sweet dessert wine , such as muscat or moscatell . Biscotti are also used as an ingredient in
592-531: A drink, traditionally Vin Santo . Smaller biscotti may be known as biscottini or cantuccini . In Italian, the word biscotti ( sg. biscotto) encompasses all kinds of biscuits or cookies. The word biscotto , originates from the Medieval Latin word biscoctus , meaning 'twice-cooked', which described items that were made from dough and baked twice, so they became very dry and could be stored for long periods of time. Such non-perishable food
666-758: A few Hindus in Cachar caught an Englishman eating biscuits with tea, which caused an uproar. The information reached the Hindus of Sylhet and a small rebellion occurred. In response to this, companies started to advertise their bread as "machine-made" and "untouched by (Muslim) hand" to tell Hindus that the breads were "safe for consumption". This incident is mentioned in Bipin Chandra Pal 's autobiography and he mentions how culinary habits of Hindus gradually changed and biscuits and loaves eventually became increasingly popular. Most modern biscuits can trace their origins back to either
740-403: A high proportion of starches , which are a subset of complex carbohydrates also known as polysaccharides . The kinds of flour used in cooking include all-purpose flour (known as plain outside North America), self-rising flour, and cake flour (including bleached flour). The higher the protein content the harder and stronger the flour, and the more it will produce crispy or chewy breads. The lower
814-629: A patent for a chocolate-coated biscuit . Along with local farm produce of meat and cheese, many regions of the world have their own distinct style of biscuit due to the historic prominence of this form of food. Biscuits and loaves were introduced in Bengal during the British colonial period and became popular within the Sylheti Muslim community . However, the middle-class Hindus of Cachar and Sylhet were very suspicious of biscuits and breads as they believed they were baked by Muslims. On one occasion,
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#1732837803977888-563: A similar hard, baked product. The difference between the secondary Dutch word and that of Latin origin is that, whereas the koekje is a cake that rises during baking, the biscuit, which has no raising agent , in general does not (see gingerbread / ginger biscuit ), except for the expansion of heated air during baking. Another cognate Dutch form is beschuit , which is a circular and brittle grain product usually covered by savoury or sweet toppings and eaten at breakfast. When continental Europeans began to emigrate to colonial North America,
962-685: A skillet meal. The collection Sayings of the Desert Fathers mentions that Anthony the Great (who lived in the 4th century AD) ate biscuits and the text implies that it was a popular food among monks of the time and region. At the time of the Spanish Armada in 1588, the daily allowance on board a Royal Navy ship was one pound of biscuit plus one gallon of beer. Samuel Pepys in 1667 first regularised naval victualling with varied and nutritious rations. Royal Navy hardtack during Queen Victoria 's reign
1036-568: A slow oven. This term was then adapted into English in the 14th century during the Middle Ages , in the Middle English word bisquite , to represent a hard, twice-baked product (see the German Zwieback ). It finally evolved into biscuit to follow the modern french spelling. The Dutch language from around 1703 had adopted the word koekje ('little cake') to have a similar meaning for
1110-542: A special mention. The mixture is composed exclusively of flour , sugar , eggs , pine nuts , and almonds that are not roasted or skinned. The traditional recipe uses no form of yeast or fat (butter, oil, and milk). The barely wet dough is then cooked twice: once in slab form, and again after cutting in sliced form, with the second baking defining how hard the biscotti are. Traditionally in Italy, biscotti di Prato are sold together with another sweet speciality of Prato,
1184-444: A stationary stone wheel, vertically or horizontally with the grain in between. Roller mills soon replaced stone grist mills as the production of flour has historically driven technological development, as attempts to make gristmills more productive and less labor-intensive led to the watermill and windmill . These terms are now applied more broadly to uses of water and wind power for purposes other than milling. More recently,
1258-476: A variety of traditional dishes. In Catalonia, such dishes include rice with sardines and rabbit with snails. They are also used in sauces with calçots , a type of green onion. In coastal Baix Llobregat , biscotti are used in the sauce for a dish of duck stuffed with turnips. In the Catalan city Vic , "Carquinyoli" is also the name of a ceremonial figure who orchestrates an annual summer festival in honor of
1332-617: Is "any of various hard or crisp dry baked product" similar to the American English terms cracker or cookie , or "a small quick bread made from dough that has been rolled out and cut or dropped from a spoon". In a number of other European languages, terms derived from the Latin bis coctus refer instead to yet another baked product, similar to the sponge cake ; e.g. Spanish bizcocho , German Biskuit , Russian бисквит ( biskvit ), and Polish biszkopt . In modern Italian usage,
1406-596: Is a powder made by grinding raw grains , roots , beans , nuts , or seeds . Flours are used to make many different foods . Cereal flour, particularly wheat flour , is the main ingredient of bread , which is a staple food for many cultures. Corn flour has been important in Mesoamerican cuisine since ancient times and remains a staple in the Americas. Rye flour is a constituent of bread in both Central Europe and Northern Europe . Cereal flour consists either of
1480-555: Is a principal ingredient used to thicken many puddings or desserts, and is the main ingredient in packaged custard. Biscotti Biscotti ( / b ɪ ˈ s k ɒ t i / , Italian: [biˈskɔtti] ; lit. ' biscuits ' ) are Italian almond biscuits originating in the city of Prato , in Tuscany. They are twice-baked, oblong-shaped, dry, and crunchy. In Italy, they are known as cantucci , biscotti di Prato or biscotti etruschi and may be dipped in
1554-400: Is a theoretically possible protein content ). This flour may be used where a recipe adds ingredients that require the dough to be extra strong to hold together in their presence, or when strength is needed for constructions of bread (e.g., some centerpiece displays). Gluten flour is refined gluten protein, or a theoretical 100% protein (though practical refining never achieves a full 100%). It
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#17328378039771628-456: Is most commonly used today in Tuscany , but originally referred to variations or imitations which deviated from the traditional recipe in a few key points such as the use of yeasts , acids (to make them less dry), and flavourings. Rusks are larger, longer biscuits using rustic bread dough enriched with olive oil and anise seeds . The confusion on the name may have been borne from the fact that on
1702-511: Is no codified dividing line. The CDC has cautioned not to eat raw flour doughs or batters. Raw flour can contain bacteria like E. coli and needs to be cooked like other foods. The English word flour is originally a variant of the word flower , and both words derive from the Old French fleur or flour , which had the literal meaning "blossom", and a figurative meaning "the finest". The phrase fleur de farine meant "the finest part of
1776-661: Is now used less frequently, usually with imported brands of biscuits or in the Maritimes ; however, the Canadian Christie Biscuits referred to crackers. The British meaning is at the root of the name of the United States' most prominent maker of cookies and crackers, the National Biscuit Company, now called Nabisco . [REDACTED] Media related to Biscuits at Wikimedia Commons Flour Flour
1850-416: Is often referred to as "white flour". Bleached flour is artificially aged using a "bleaching" agent, a "maturing" agent, or both. A bleaching agent affects the carotenoids responsible for the natural colour of the flour; a "maturing" agent also affects gluten development. A maturing agent may either strengthen or weaken gluten development. The four most common additives used as bleaching/maturing agents in
1924-457: Is treated either with benzoyl peroxide or chlorine gas, but no way exists to tell which process has been used when buying the flour at the grocery store. The old method of procuring white or "bleached" flour did not entail the use of chemical agents at all. Rather, the wheat kernels were moistened with water long enough for the outer kernels of the wheat which contained the bran to soften and, eventually, fall off while grinding. In some places,
1998-555: Is typically made from hard red winter wheat planted in the fall and harvested in the spring. Hard wheat is high in gluten, a protein that makes dough stretchy. Hard wheat is 11.5–13.5% (12–14% from second source ) protein. The increased protein binds to the flour to entrap carbon dioxide released by the yeast fermentation process, resulting in a better rise and chewier texture. Hard is a general term for flours with high gluten protein content, commonly refers to extra strong flour, with 13.5–16% (or 14–15% from some sources) protein (16%
2072-474: Is used to strengthen flour as needed. For example, adding approximately one teaspoon per cup of AP flour gives the resulting mix the protein content of bread flour. It is commonly added to whole grain flour recipes to overcome the tendency of greater fiber content to interfere with gluten development, needed to give the bread better rising (gas holding) qualities and chew. Unbleached flour is simply flour that has not undergone bleaching and therefore does not have
2146-502: Is usually called a cantuccio , a word that means 'corner' but in the past meant the crust or heel of a loaf of bread. The words biscottini and cantuccini are diminutives that refer to smaller versions of biscotti or cantucci . Although commonly used to indicate the biscuits of Prato , biscotti di Prato , in modern Italy they are also known widely by the name cantuccini . These names actually suggest other similar regional products of Italy. The term cantuccini
2220-506: The bruttiboni . Served after dessert, they are usually combined with orange juice . Today the regional variations of the original are still adhered to, but the modern mass-manufactured biscotti are in fact closer to cantuccini , variations of biscotti. Modern biscotti recipes often contain nuts (traditional almonds , pine nuts , pistachios , and hazelnuts are popular choices) or spices such as anise or cinnamon . Modern recipes include adding baking powder and spices to
2294-630: The Catalan carquinyoli ( Catalan: [kəɾkiˈɲɔli] ) or carquinyol is made with whole or sliced almonds. It is associated with inland Catalonia, Batea , La Fatarella , Prat de Comte , and in the Terra Alta . Biscotti are traditional also in some inland towns in Valencia , where they are called rosegons or rosegós . In Menorca , carquinyols are square shaped and do not include whole almonds. One Catalan food writer states that
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2368-489: The Unifine mill , an impact-type mill, was developed in the mid-20th century. Modern farm equipment allows livestock farmers to do some or all of their own milling when it comes time to convert their own grain crops to coarse meal for livestock feed . This capability is economically important because the profit margins are often thin enough in commercial farming that saving expenses is vital to staying in business. Flour contains
2442-568: The Vadstena monastery show how the Swedish nuns were baking gingerbread to ease digestion in 1444. The first documented trade of gingerbread biscuits dates to the 16th century, where they were sold in monastery pharmacies and town square farmers markets. Gingerbread became widely available in the 18th century. The Industrial Revolution in Britain sparked the formation of businesses in various industries, and
2516-577: The Washburn "A" Mill in Minneapolis that killed 22 people. The CDC has cautioned not to eat raw flour doughs or batters. Raw flour can contain bacteria like E. coli and needs to be cooked like other foods. Bread , pasta , crackers , many cakes , and many other foods are made using flour. Wheat flour is also used to make a roux as a base for thickening gravy and sauces. It can also be used as an ingredient in papier-mâché glue . Cornstarch
2590-400: The endosperm , germ , and bran together (whole-grain flour) or of the endosperm alone (refined flour). Meal is either differentiable from flour as having slightly coarser particle size (degree of comminution ) or is synonymous with flour; the word is used both ways. For example, the word cornmeal often connotes a grittier texture whereas corn flour connotes fine powder, although there
2664-738: The British biscuit firms of McVitie's , Carr's , Huntley & Palmers , and Crawfords were all established by 1850. Chocolate and biscuits became products for the masses, thanks to the Industrial Revolution and the consumers it created. By the mid-19th century, sweet biscuits were an affordable indulgence and business was booming. Manufacturers such as Huntley & Palmers in Reading, Carr's of Carlisle and McVitie's in Edinburgh transformed from small family-run businesses into state-of-the-art operations. British biscuit companies vied to dominate
2738-502: The British, Australians, South Africans, New Zealanders, Indians, Bangladeshis, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, Singaporeans, Nigerians, Kenyans, and Irish use the British meaning of "biscuit" for the sweet biscuit. The terms biscuit and cookie are used interchangeably, depending on the region and the speaker, with biscuits usually referring to hard, sweet biscuits (such as digestives, Nice, Bourbon creams, etc.) and cookies for soft baked goods (i.e. chocolate chip cookies). In Canada, biscuit
2812-576: The Lionheart) left for the Third Crusade (1189–92) with "biskit of muslin", which was a mixed corn compound of barley , rye , and bean flour. As the making and quality of bread had been controlled to this point, so were the skills of biscuit-making through the craft guilds . As the supply of sugar began, and the refinement and supply of flour increased, so did the ability to sample more leisurely foodstuffs, including sweet biscuits. Early references from
2886-633: The UK's top three favourite dunking biscuits in 2009. In a non-dunking poll the Chocolate Hobnob was ranked first with custard creams coming third. Savoury biscuits or crackers (such as cream crackers , water biscuits , oatcakes , or crisp breads ) are usually plainer and commonly eaten with cheese following a meal. Many savoury biscuits also contain additional ingredients for flavour or texture, such as poppy seeds , onion or onion seeds, cheese (such as cheese melts), and olives. Savoury biscuits also usually have
2960-486: The US are: Some other chemicals used as flour treatment agents to modify color and baking properties include: Common preservatives in commercial flour include: All bleaching and maturing agents (with the possible exception of ascorbic acid) have been banned in the United Kingdom. Bromination of flour in the US has fallen out of favor, and while it is not yet actually banned anywhere, few retail flours available to
3034-427: The ash mass is only rarely given on the label by flour manufacturers. However, the legally required standard nutrition label specifies the protein content of the flour, which is also a way for comparing the extraction rates of different available flour types. In general, as the extraction rate of the flour increases, so do both the protein and the ash content. However, as the extraction rate approaches 100% (whole meal),
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3108-432: The bleaching process, nutrients are lost. Some of these nutrients may be replaced during refining – the result is known as enriched flour. Cake flour is the lowest in gluten protein content, with 6–7% (5–8% from second source ) protein to produce minimal binding so the cake "crumbles" easily. Pastry flour has the second-lowest gluten protein content, with 7.5–9.5% (8–9% from second source ) protein to hold together with
3182-447: The color of "white" flour. An example is graham flour , whose namesake, Sylvester Graham , was against using bleaching agents, which he considered unhealthy. In English-speaking countries, self-raising (or self-rising) flour is commercially available with chemical leavening agents already in the mix. In America, it is also likely to be pre-salted; in Britain this is not the case. The added ingredients are evenly distributed throughout
3256-402: The countryside. Heat-processed flour is flour where the germ is first separated from the endosperm and bran, then processed with steam, dry heat or microwave and blended into flour again. Milling of flour is accomplished by grinding grain between stones or steel wheels. Today, "stone-ground" usually means that the grain has been ground in a mill in which a revolving stone wheel turns over
3330-403: The different available flour varieties are labeled according to the ash mass that remains after a sample is incinerated in a laboratory oven (typically at 550 °C (1,022 °F) or 900 °C (1,650 °F), see international standards ISO 2171 and ICC 104/1 ). This is an easily verified indicator for the fraction of the whole grain remains in the flour, because the mineral content of
3404-612: The earliest spiced biscuits was gingerbread , in French, pain d'épices , meaning "spice bread", brought to Europe in 992 by the Armenian monk Grégoire de Nicopolis . He left Nicopolis Pompeii, of Lesser Armenia to live in Bondaroy , France, near the town of Pithiviers . He stayed there for seven years and taught French priests and Christians how to cook gingerbread. This was originally a dense, treaclely (molasses-based) spice cake or bread. As it
3478-514: The flour", since flour resulted from the elimination of coarse and unwanted matter from the grain during milling. Maize or corn flour has been important in Mesoamerican cuisine since ancient times and remains a staple in the Americas. Rye flour is a constituent of bread in central and northern Europe. Archaeological evidence for making flour ( wheat seeds crushed between simple millstones ) dates to at least 6000 BC. In 2018, archaeologists reported finding evidence of bread making at Shubayqa 1,
3552-449: The flour, which aids a consistent rise in baked goods. This flour is generally used for preparing sponge cakes, scones, muffins, etc. It was invented by Henry Jones and patented in 1845. If a recipe calls for self-raising flour, and this is not available, the following substitution is possible: Wheat is the grain most commonly used to make flour. Certain varieties may be referred to as "clean" or "white". Flours contain differing levels of
3626-486: The flour. The nuts are then added to allow them to be coated, with the skins being left particularly when using almonds and hazelnuts. Separately, eggs are beaten together and then any wet flavouring (e.g., almond extract or liquor), before being added to the dry ingredients. Following twice baking (once in long slab form, secondly in cut sliced form), the biscotti may be dipped in a glaze, such as chocolate . Since they are very dry, biscotti traditionally are served with
3700-439: The hardest biscuit possible. Because it is so hard and dry, if properly stored and transported, navies' hardtack will survive rough handling and high temperature. Baked hard, it can be kept without spoiling for years as long as it is kept dry. For long voyages, hardtack was baked four times, rather than the more common two. To soften hardtack for eating, it was often dunked in brine , coffee, or some other liquid or cooked into
3774-510: The hardtack ship's biscuit or the creative art of the baker: Biscuits today can be savoury ( crackers ) or sweet. Most are small, at around 5 cm (2.0 in) in diameter, and flat. Sandwich-style biscuits consist of two biscuits sandwiching a layer of "creme" or icing , such as the custard cream , or a layer of jam (as in the biscuits that are known as " Jammie Dodgers " in the United Kingdom). Sweet biscuits are commonly eaten as
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#17328378039773848-419: The home baker are bromated anymore. Many varieties of flour packaged specifically for commercial bakeries are still bromated. Retail bleached flour marketed to the home baker is now treated mostly with either peroxidation or chlorine gas. Current information from Pillsbury is that their varieties of bleached flour are treated both with benzoyl peroxide and chlorine gas. Gold Medal states that their bleached flour
3922-433: The late 19th century, this process was too short for an industrial production and distribution cycle. As vitamins , micronutrients and amino acids were completely or relatively unknown in the late 19th century, removing the germ was an effective solution. Without the germ, flour cannot become rancid. Degermed flour became standard. Degermation started in densely populated areas and took approximately one generation to reach
3996-399: The leaves of Syrian rue ( Peganum harmala ) were spread in stratified layers between the layers of grain, and left in such a state for several days, until the fumes emitted from the astringent leaves of the plant caused the outer kernels of the wheat to break down and dissolve, leaving a clean and white flour after grinding. During the process of making flour, specifically as a result of
4070-465: The lowest ash residue in the table. The closest is French Type 45. There is no official Chinese name corresponding to the highest ash residue in the table. Usually such products are imported from Japan and the Japanese name zenryufun (全粒粉) is used, or it is called quánmài miànfěn (全麥麵粉). It is possible to determine ash content from some US manufacturers. However, US measurements are based on wheat with
4144-506: The market with new products and eye-catching packaging. The decorative biscuit tin , invented by Huntley & Palmers in 1831, saw British biscuits exported around the world. In 1900 Huntley & Palmers biscuits were sold in 172 countries, and their global reach was reflected in their advertising. Competition and innovation among British firms saw 49 patent applications for biscuit-making equipment, tins, dough-cutting machines and ornamental moulds between 1897 and 1900. In 1891, Cadbury filed
4218-453: The old sign (still present) of "Biscottificio Antonio Mattei", the leading manufacturer of biscuits of Prato, written just below the name of the shop is "Manufacturers of cantuccini ", which at the time was one of the major producers of the biscuits. The sign has remained unchanged, and after such a long time people are accustomed to associate the name cantuccini with the biscuits typical of Sardinia and Sicily . In Spain and France,
4292-681: The protein gluten . "Strong flour" or "hard flour" has a higher gluten content than "weak" or "soft" flour. "Brown" and wholemeal flours may be made of hard or soft wheat. When flours do not contain gluten, they are suitable for people with gluten-related disorders , such as coeliac disease , non-celiac gluten sensitivity or wheat allergy sufferers, among others. Contamination with gluten-containing cereals can occur during grain harvesting, transporting, milling, storing, processing, handling and/or cooking. Flour also can be made from soybeans , arrowroot , taro , cattails , manioc , quinoa , and other non-cereal foodstuffs. In some markets,
4366-408: The protein content drops slightly, while the ash content continues to rise. The following table shows some typical examples of how protein and ash content relate to each other in wheat flour: This table is only a rough guideline for converting bread recipes. Since flour types are not standardized in many countries, the numbers may differ between manufacturers. There is no French type corresponding to
4440-429: The protein the softer the flour, which is better for cakes, cookies, and pie crusts. Cereal flour consists either of the endosperm , germ , and bran together (whole-grain flour) or of the endosperm alone (refined flour). "Bleached flour" is "refined" flour with a chemical whitening (bleaching) agent added. "Refined" flour has had the germ and bran, containing much of the nutritional fibre and vitamins, removed and
4514-452: The sheets sufficiently coherent to be placed in the oven in one piece and when baked they were easy to separate. The hexagonal shape rather than traditional circular biscuits meant a saving in material and was easier to pack. Biscuits remained an important part of the Royal Navy sailor's diet until the introduction of canned foods . Canned meat was first marketed in 1814; preserved beef in tins
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#17328378039774588-424: The starchy endosperm is much lower than that of the outer parts of the grain. Flour made from all parts of the grain ( extraction rate : 100%) leaves about 2 grams (0.071 oz) ash or more per 100 grams (3.5 oz) dry flour. Plain white flour with an extraction rate of 50–60% leaves about 0.4 grams (0.014 oz). In the United States and the United Kingdom, no numbered standardized flour types are defined, and
4662-559: The term biscotto is used to refer to any type of hard twice-baked biscuit, and not only to the cantucci as in English-speaking countries; it is the same for the modern French term biscuit . The need for nutritious, easy-to-store, easy-to-carry, and long-lasting foods on long journeys, in particular at sea, was initially solved by taking livestock along with a butcher/ cook . However, this took up additional space on what were either horse-powered treks or small ships, reducing
4736-593: The term biscuit is used for a soft, leavened quick bread similar to a savoury version of a scone . The modern-day difference in the English language regarding the word biscuit is remarked on by British cookery writer Elizabeth David in English Bread and Yeast Cookery , in the chapter "Yeast Buns and Small Tea Cakes" and section "Soft Biscuits". She writes: It is interesting that these soft biscuits (such as scones) are common to Scotland and Guernsey , and that
4810-564: The term biscuit as applied to a soft product was retained in these places, and in America, whereas in England it has completely died out. The Old French word bescuit is derived from the Latin words bis ('twice') and coquere, coctus ('to cook', 'cooked'), and, hence, means 'twice-cooked'. This is because biscuits were originally cooked in a twofold process: first baked, and then dried out in
4884-520: The time of travel before additional food was required. This resulted in early armies' adopting the style of hunter- foraging . The introduction of the baking of processed cereals, including the creation of flour, provided a more reliable source of food. Egyptian sailors carried a flat, brittle loaf of millet bread called dhourra cake while the Romans had a biscuit called buccellum . Roman cookbook Apicius describes: "a thick paste of fine wheat flour
4958-411: The two words and their "same but different" meanings began to clash. The words cookie or cracker became the words of choice to mean a hard, baked product. Further confusion has been added by the adoption of the word biscuit for a small leavened bread popular in the United States. According to the American English dictionary Merriam-Webster , a cookie is a "small flat or slightly raised cake". A biscuit
5032-504: The word carquinyoli is derived from the French croquignole , a French word of Germanic origin, but In France, a similar biscuit is known as croquant . Following rediscovery of the original recipe by Prato pastry chef Antonio Mattei in the nineteenth century, his variation is what is now accepted as the traditional recipe for biscotti. Mattei brought his cakes to the Exposition Universelle of Paris of 1867, winning
5106-593: Was added to the list in the 1990s. An important problem of the Industrial Revolution was the preservation of flour. Transportation distances and a relatively slow distribution system collided with natural shelf life . The reason for the limited shelf life is the fatty acids of the germ , which react from the moment they are exposed to oxygen. This occurs when grain is milled; the fatty acids oxidize and flour starts to become rancid . Depending on climate and grain quality, this process takes six to nine months. In
5180-453: Was boiled and spread out on a plate. When it had dried and hardened, it was cut up and then fried until crisp, then served with honey and pepper." Many early physicians believed that most medicinal problems were associated with digestion . Hence, for both sustenance and avoidance of illness, a daily consumption of a biscuit was considered good for health. Hard biscuits soften as they age. To solve this problem, early bakers attempted to create
5254-537: Was made by machine at the Royal Clarence Victualling Yard at Gosport , Hampshire, stamped with the Queen's mark and the number of the oven in which they were baked. When machinery was introduced into the process the dough was thoroughly mixed and rolled into sheets about 2 yards (1.8 m) long and 1 yard (0.9 m) wide which were stamped in one stroke into about sixty hexagonal-shaped biscuits. This left
5328-499: Was officially added to Royal Navy rations in 1847. Early biscuits were hard, dry, and unsweetened. They were most often cooked after bread, in a cooling bakers' oven; they were a cheap form of sustenance for the poor. By the 7th century AD, cooks of the Persian empire had learnt from their forebears the techniques of lightening and enriching bread-based mixtures with eggs, butter, and cream, and sweetening them with fruit and honey. One of
5402-531: Was particularly useful during journeys and wars, and twice-baked breads were a staple food of the Roman legions . Biscotti, in this sense, shares its origin with the English biscuit , (from Old French : biscuit ), which is used for a wide variety of baked goods, cookies, crackers, and breads, only a few of which are actually baked twice. In modern Italian, the word biscotto also refers to any cookie or cracker. The biscuit known to English-speakers as biscotti
5476-612: Was so expensive to make, early ginger biscuits were a cheap form of using up the leftover bread mix. With the combination of knowledge spreading from Al-Andalus , and then the Crusades and subsequent spread of the spice trade to Europe, the cooking techniques and ingredients of Arabia spread into Northern Europe. By mediaeval times, biscuits were made from a sweetened, spiced paste of breadcrumbs and then baked (e.g., gingerbread), or from cooked bread enriched with sugar and spices and then baked again. King Richard I of England (aka Richard
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