There’s no denying we love a biscuit with a hot cup of tea.
From crunchy scotch fingers to controversial fig rolls and classic Tim Tams, everyone’s got their go-to bickies, but if you’re always chucking the same packets into your supermarket trolley each week, you may be missing out on a whole world of flavour.
Here are eight lesser-known biscuit varieties from around the globe.
1. Matcha cookies
Made with matcha powder and sometimes flavoured with chopped nuts, these green Japanese cookies are pretty to look at, and you can argue they’re ‘healthy’ because matcha tea leaves are rich in antioxidants.
Read more: Quick facts about the green powerhouse that is matcha
2. Pepernoten
Pronounced ‘paper-noteh’, these bite-sized biscuits hail from Holland. Flavoured with honey and spices, they’re traditionally eaten at the Dutch Sinterklaas celebrations in December.
3. Pesto biscuits
Who says bickies have to be sweet? Italian-inspired pesto biscuits flavoured with basil and garlic sauce make a delicious savoury snack.
4. Kourampiedes
A Greek Christmas tradition, kourampiedes (also known as kourabiethes) are almond biscuits often flavoured with rosewater and topped with a generous dusting of icing sugar or flaked almonds.
Read more: Homemade Almond Biscuits
5. Belgian biscuits
You might be surprised to learn that Belgian biscuits don’t involve any of the nation’s most famous food export, chocolate, and they’re actually more popular in New Zealand and other Commonwealth countries.
Also known as empire biscuits, they’re created by sandwiching two rounds of biscuit with jam in the middle, adding pink icing and a sprinkle of sugar on the outside.
6. Hobnobs
These crunchy, crumbly round oat biscuits are perfect dunked in a cup of tea. They’re almost a cross between a biscuit and an oat slice; some are even coated with chocolate. They were released in 1985 and are among the most popular British biscuits.
Read more: Simple Jam Biscuits
7. Biscotti
These twice-baked Italian treats are traditionally served with coffee or the sweet Italian dessert wine, Vin Santo. They are very easy to make at home and can be customised however you like.
8. Melomakarona
A festive favourite in Greece and Cyprus, melomakarona are soft, egg-shaped treats made with honey, semolina, orange zest and cognac, drizzled with honey syrup.
What’s your favourite biscuit?
– With PA
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