Biscuits are liked by most of us, irrespective of our age group, whether we belong to the child category or the grown-up adults. Most of us may aspire to know more about this favorite snack. Here are some fascinating facts about biscuits that every biscuit lover should read. Although we know that there are many biscuits available in the market right now, all these biscuits can be generally classified into four types. They are rolled biscuits, drop biscuits, scones, and shortcakes.
*Rolled biscuits are the ones that get puffed up to a height of almost two times their original height. They are the popular baking powder-leavened quick bread. Its interior is very soft, light, and fluffy, with many air gaps as it gets puffed up twice. Well-baked rolled biscuits seem to have a flat top and straight sides with a horizontal crankshaft that indicates their flakiness. Rolled biscuits may seem somewhat dry in texture compared to other types of biscuits, namely, drop biscuits.
*Drop biscuits are where more milk or liquid is added to the dough. As the dough is moisture due to plenty of liquid, it cannot be kneaded or rolled as in rolled biscuits. Its dough is just dropped to the baking sheet using a spoon or any such equipment. They appear to be coarser in appearance and texture compared to roll biscuits.
*Scones are another type of biscuits having millions of fans worldwide. These are biscuits which are usually made out of cream or butter. They are sweet and rich wedge-shaped biscuits with a heavy, tender crumb and a slight crust-like brown top. They resemble cake in taste and texture.
*Shortcakes are another biscuits class that use rich biscuits or cones to make their base. They are often topped with sweetened fruits or cream according to our taste.Facts about Biscuits
Interesting facts about biscuits:
What actually is a biscuit? A biscuit is a cooked food product made from flour. It is found generally hard and differs by the flavor added to them. The primary or primitive biscuits were made flat, but today we have biscuits in several shapes and designs.
The word biscuit: The word ‘biscuit’ originates from the French word ‘bescuit,’ which stands for twice-cooked or twice baked. It is named so as the initial biscuits were made by cooking the already cooked bread again to make it more complicated like the rusk.
Invention of biscuits: It is believed that the first ideas of making biscuits belonged to the Romans. Evidence has been found that people ate pancakes during the middle ages from the 15th century. Some people argue that the properly baked food prepared on stone during the neolithic era is the most pioneer form of biscuit.
Samuel Johnson’s definition: There have been many definitions for biscuits to date, an important one being the definition of Samuel Johnson. He defined biscuit as a complex and dry bread made to carry to sea. It is named, so biscuits were invented out of a necessity in the ancient world for merchants who travel long distances and days. So it was essential to invent such food that could be carried easily and preserved for long.
Shakspeare’s mention: It is evident from the Shakspeare mention that biscuit is not something that has been invented in recent times. As you like it, Troilus and Cressida are the Shakspeare plays that mention a biscuit.
National Biscuit Day: It may be a surprise for many to know that there is a day exclusively for biscuits alone. National biscuit day is celebrated on May 29th of every year, and it is an occasion to try different types of biscuits and is celebrated more like a food holiday.
Biscuit cakes: As the name suggests, it is a cake that has a close resemblance to the no-bake tea cake. It is named so because the main base of the cake is made out of digestive biscuits. It is a well-known Jewish cuisine. Variations of the biscuit cake are seen in the United States also.
Cookies and Biscuit: We all may be familiar with the term cookies and several brands of cookies available in our market right now. But most of us may not be aware of the essential similarities and differences between cookies and biscuits. The similarity lies in the baking process. Both biscuits and the cookies almost follow the same procedures while mixing the dough and baking. The difference between the two lies in their ingredients.
Most of the biscuits that we have today are just made out of flour, sugar, and butter as the main ingredients. But, when it comes to the case of cookies, there are many more ingredients and flavors added to them. They are made of soft and denser dough and may appear more like cake. They are also larger, softer, and chunkier than the usual biscuits. Many people prefer cookies over the usual biscuits these days due to the rich taste.
Digestive Biscuits: Digestive biscuits are also an essential class of biscuits consumed by millions around the world and are known to be healthy. They are semi-sweet biscuits and got their name as many believe that they have antacid properties due to sodium bicarbonate and thereby help indigestion. Scotland is known to be the birthplace of digestive biscuits.
Biscuit eating as a sport: Yes, biscuit eating is indeed considered a sport with fans worldwide. Moreover, it sometimes turns into a dangerous sport, as many get injured while playing the same.
American biscuits are different from UK biscuits: Although the name biscuits seem to be the same, you cannot expect biscuits to be the same everywhere. Biscuits in America and biscuits in the UK have vast differences, and such differences are seen worldwide.
Most favorite biscuits: There has been much research done worldwide to find the best biscuits. According to a recent poll, the humble chocolate digestive is chosen as the most favorite biscuit. Almost 69% of the population chose it to be their favorite biscuit in the respective poll.
Voyager’s food: Biscuit is considered a voyager’s food during early times due to its ease of carry and preservable nature. They are still carried by traveling people all around the world.
How are biscuits made?
Many of us may be interested to know how biscuits are made and their recipe. The recipe for making biscuits is often considered to be a simple one. The recipe for biscuits differs as there are different kinds of biscuits now. Let us look at how a basic biscuit is made. Generally, the biscuit-making process consists of four steps: mixing, forming, baking, and cooling. The mixing process consists of mixing up all the necessary ingredients of the biscuit, such as flour, fat, and sugar, in correct proportions.
It must be adequately mixed to have a uniform consistency. After mixing, the dough has to be formed into sheets. These sheets pass down through rollers and molders to have the optimum design and size. Once forming is done, they have to be baked in the oven. The process comes to an end once it is cooled after taking it out of the oven, and that is how biscuits are made.
Also Read This => Facts About Chocolate
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