Brandy Snaps — brittle ginger-and-cream tubes

i. Origin & history

Brandy snaps date from at least the 18th century in northern England, originally sold at fairs. The shape requires the cook to work fast — the biscuit hardens within seconds of leaving the oven.

ii. Ingredients

Makes 12 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust

• 100 g unsalted butter
• 100 g golden syrup
• 100 g muscovado sugar
• 100 g plain flour
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp brandy
• 300 ml double cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 2 tbsp brandy

iii. Method

1. Melt butter, syrup and sugar in a pan; stir until smooth. Off heat, beat in flour, ginger and brandy.
2. Place small teaspoons of batter, well spaced, on a lined tray.
3. Bake at 180 °C for 8-9 min until evenly lacy and deep golden.
4. Cool 30 seconds, then quickly lift each biscuit and roll around the handle of a wooden spoon; press to seal. Cool on a rack.
5. Whip cream with icing sugar and brandy to firm peaks. Pipe into the brandy snap tubes just before serving.

iv. Tips & common mistakes

• Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
• Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
• Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.

v. Variations

Plain brandy snaps are eaten without filling. Lemon brandy snaps use lemon cream. Modern variations include chocolate, espresso, or cinnamon.

vii. More from British & Irish

• Anzac Biscuits — oat-syrup biscuits
• Eccles Cake — flaky currant cakes
• Parkin — Yorkshire ginger cake
• Shortbread — Scottish butter biscuit
• Treacle Tart — golden-syrup tart
• Battenberg Cake — British marzipan cake