Semi-sweet biscuits: Process and recipes
Examples of recipes and process for semi-sweet biscuits: Golden Maria, Rich Tea, Le Veritable Petit-Buerre, Petit Buerre, Tostada, Arrowroot, Harvest and Café Noir.
Leading image: Golden Maria biscuit
1. Golden Maria
Description
A semi-sweet biscuit, characterized by an attractive design and golden colour, crisp, slightly hard bite, light, open texture.
Product specification
| Dimensions: | 59.0 – 60.0 mm diam. |
| Thickness: | 6.2 mm |
| Weight: | 7.2 g |
| Appearance: | Rich, golden, with distinctive design |
| Colour: | Golden biscuit colour |
| Texture: | Light and crispy, slightly hard bite |
| Flavour: | Semi-sweet |
| Moisture: | 1.0 - 1.5% |
Formulation for Golden Maria
Recipe
| Flour | 100.000 |
| Sugar, granulated | 24.200 |
| Shortening | 11.970 |
| Glucose | 6.740 |
| Sodium bicarbonate | 0.490 |
| Ammonium bicarbonate | 0.270 |
| Salt | 0.630 |
| Lecithin | 0.130 |
| SMS | 0.090 |
| Water | 17.300 |
| 161.820 |
2. Rich Tea
Figure 1: Rich Tea biscuits
Description
A favourite biscuit in England, often “dunked” in a cup of tea. The leading brand is McVities.
Product specification
Rich Tea
| Dimensions: | 65 mm |
| Thickness: | 6.4 mm |
| Weight: | 8.3 g |
| Colour: | Pale golden |
| Texture: | Light |
| Moisture: | 1.5% |
Rich Tea Finger
| Dimensions: | 82 x 33 mm |
| Thickness: | 4.6 mm |
| Weight: | 4.9 g |
| Colour: | Pale golden |
| Texture: | Light |
| Moisture: | 1.5% |
Ingredient list:
Flour, vegetable oil, glucose-fructose syrup, barley malt extract, sodium bicarbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, salt.
Recipe 1
| Flour | 100.000 |
| Corn starch | 4.483 |
| Sugar, granulated | 11.196 |
| Sugar, pulverised | 11.196 |
| Corn syrup | 1.489 |
| Shortening | 18.657 |
| Liquid eggs | 2.986 |
| Salt | 1.119 |
| Full cream milk | 14.923 |
| Sodium bicarbonate | 0.510 |
| Ammonium bicarbonate | 0.461 |
| Butter flavour | 0.461 |
| Water | 3.735 |
| 171.216 |
Recipe 2
| Flour | 100.000 |
| Sugar, pulverised | 17.000 |
| Margarine | 20.000 |
| Condensed milk | 3.500 |
| Invert syrup | 2.000 |
| Salt | 1.000 |
| Sodium bicarbonate | 0.700 |
| Ammonium bicarbonate | 0.350 |
| Cream powder | 0.350 |
| Egg colour | 0.400 |
| Butterbelle flavour | 0.025 |
| Oil of lemon | 0.013 |
| Vanila | 0.025 |
| Sodium metabisulphite | 0.045 |
| Water | 16.000 |
| 161.408 |
Packaging
Figure 2: Rich Tea packages
Figure 3: Rich Tea Finger package
3. Le Veritable Petit-Buerre
Figure 4: Lu Petit-Buerre Nantes
Description
The Petit Buerre from Nantes is known throughout France and the Lu Petit-Buerre has become successful world-wide. It was invented by Louis Lefèvre in 1886 and later named Le Veritable Petit Buerre. The LU company is now part of the Mondelez Group.
Product Specification
Traditionally Petit Buerre is 65 mm x 54 mm and 6.5 mm thick with a weight of 8.33 g. It has 4 “ears”, 14 “teeth” in length and 10 “teeth” in width, a total of 52. Our samples were as follows:
| Dimensions: | 62 x 53 mm |
| Thickness: | 5.8 mm |
| Weight: | 8.0 g |
| Appearance: | Distinctive shape and emboss |
| Colour: | Rich golden |
| Texture: | Light, crisp |
| Moisture: | 1.0 - 1.5% |
Ingredient list:
Wheat flour 73.4%, sugar, butter 13.6%, skinned milk powder 1.3%, salt, ammonium carbonate sodium carbonate, citric acid, flavour.
Packaging
Figure 5: LU Petit Buerre packaging
4. Petit Buerre
Figure 6: Petit Buerre
Description
Various versions of Petit Buerre have been made and marketed internationally.
Recipe
| Flour | 100.000 |
| Sugar, granulated | 17.860 |
| Corn syrup | 5.355 |
| Shortening | 14.284 |
| Full cream condensed milk | 5.000 |
| Egg yolks | 1.788 |
| Salt | 0.882 |
| Butter flavour | 0.087 |
| Sodium bicarbonate | 0.528 |
| Ammonium bicarbonate | 0.528 |
| Cream of tartar | 0.087 |
| Water | 16.000 |
| 162.399 |
5. Tostada
Figure 7: Tostada
Description
Semi-sweet biscuit similar to Petit Buerre produced in Spain and Portugal.
Product specification
| Dimensions: | 60 x 47 mm |
| Thickness: | 5.2 mm |
| Weight: | 5.6 g |
| Colour: | Pale golden |
| Texture: | Light |
| Moisture: | 1.5% |
Ingredient list:
Flour, sugar, glucose-fructose syrup, vegetable oils (high oleic sunflower and palm), colours, plain caramel and E150d (sulphites), salt, sodium bicarbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, lecithin, flavourings, sodium metabisulphite.
Recipe
| Flour | 100.000 |
| Shortening | 11.000 |
| Sugar, granulated | 24.500 |
| Glucose | 5.750 |
| Skimmed milk powder | 1.125 |
| Salt | 0.750 |
| Sodium bicarbonate | 0.575 |
| Ammonium bicarbonate | 0.625 |
| Caramel syrup | 0.400 |
| Sodium meta-bisulphite | 0.050 |
| Biscuit dust | 7.500 |
| Water | 15.000 |
| 167.275 |
Packaging
Figure 8: Tostada pack
6. Arrowroot
Figure 09: Arrowroot
Description
Arrowroot is a starch obtained from the rhizomes (rootstock) of several tropical plants, traditionally Maranta arundinacea, but also Florida arrowroot from Zamia integrifolia, and tapioca from cassava (Manihot esculenta).
Arrowroot has been used for thousands of years for its health properties such as healing wounds and bites. It is now mainly used in food products as an alternative to corn starch. It is gluten-free and a valuable ingredient in gluten-free baked products and infant foods. Arrowroot is rich in several B vitamins including thiamine, niacin, pyridoxine and in minerals including iron.
Product specification
| Dimensions: | 63 mm diam. |
| Thickness: | 5.7 mm |
| Weight: | 7.4 g |
| Colour: | Pale |
| Texture: | Light |
Ingredient list:
Wheat flour, sugar, palm oil, arrowroot 2.5%, partially inverted sugar syrup, barley malt extract, salt, sodium bicarbonate, ammonium bicarbonate.
Recipe
| Flour | 91.500 |
| Corn flour | 8.500 |
| Sugar | 21.250 |
| Butter | 9.490 |
| Fat | 9.490 |
| Skimmed milk powder | 2.060 |
| Malt extract | 2.060 |
| Glucose | 2.060 |
| Lecithin | 0.190 |
| Ammonia bicarbonate | 2.090 |
| Salt | 0.690 |
| Natron (10%) | 0.040 |
| Vitamin powder | 0.030 |
| Flavour | 0.020 |
| Water | 22.390 |
| 171.860 |
Packaging
Figure 10: Arrowroot biscuit packaging
7. Harvest
Figure 11: Harvest, tomato, sesame and green tea flavours
Description
A thin, light crispy biscuit with an attractive range of flavours.
Product specification
| Dimensions: | 60.0 mm diam. |
| Thickness: | 2.8 mm |
| Weight: | 9.0 g |
| Appearance: | Even colour, glazed and with sugar sprinkled |
| Texture: | Crisp and light |
| Moisture: | 1.0 - 1.5% |
Recipe
| Flour | 100.000 |
| Wheat germ | 5.000 |
| Sesame seeds | 10.000 |
| Desiccated coconut | 3.000 |
| Fat | 10.000 |
| Butter | 13.000 |
| Sugar, granulated | 50.000 |
| Salt | 1.500 |
| Sodium bicarbonate | 0.200 |
| Acid calcium phosphate | 0.400 |
| Ammonium bicarbonate | 0.500 |
| Condensed milk | 2.000 |
| Water | 26.000 |
| 221.600 | |
| Milk wash | |
| Full cream milk powder | 1.000 |
| Water | 4.000 |
Mixing
Premix fats, sugar, salt, soda, condensed milk, ammonium (dissolved in water).
Mix at high speed 1.0 min.
Add the remaining ingredients, mix at low speed 1.0 min. and at high speed 4 min. Rest dough for 10 minutes
Forming
Biscuit cutting machine.
Final dough thickness 1.25mm
Light milk wash
Light sugar sprinkle
Baking
Oven band: Z47
Baking time 4 min. at up to 300oC
Oil spray top and bottom
Packaging
Figure 12: Harvest packaging
8. Café Noir
Figure 13: Café Noir
Description
Crisp, semi-sweet biscuit with coffee flavoured icing.
Ingredient list:
Wheat flour, sugar, coffee glaze (23%) [sugar, colour (E150c), coffee powder (0.3%), alpha-cyclodextrin, gum arabic, salt, flavourings] vegetable oils (palm, rapeseed), wheat starch, invert sugar syrup, salt, sodium bicarbonate, disodium diphosphate, coffee powder (0.3%), lactic acid, flavourings.
Product specification
| Dimensions: | 43 x 32 mm |
| Thickness: | 6.25 mm |
| Weight: | 5.0 g |
| Appearance: | Even colour, dark icing |
| Texture: | Crisp |
Recipe
| Flour (weak) | 100.000 |
| Vegetable fat | 25.000 |
| Sugar, pulverised | 21.429 |
| Syrup | 14.286 |
| Salt | 0.714 |
| Sodium bicarbonate | 0.268 |
| Ginger, ground | 0.223 |
| Water | 9.000 |
| 170.920 | |
| Icing | |
| Icing sugar | 100.000 |
| Gelatine | 0.500 |
| Vanilla powder | 0.250 |
| Glycerine | 4.000 |
| Coffee essence | 6.000 |
| Caramel colour | 0.125 |
| Water | 25.000 |
| 135.875 |
*Recipes and process details from the late Glyn Sykes
