Brandy Snaps

These deliciously crunchy treats have an interesting history and are particularly associated with Scotland and Northern England. They’re also a lot easier to make at home than they may appear.

Ingredients

110g unsalted butter
110g caster sugar
110g plain flour
60g golden syrup
Large pinch of ground ginger powder
2 teaspoons of Scotch whisky
1 tablespoon of lemon juice

1. Start with the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan
2. Heat gently until everything has melted, then stir together, remove from the heat and leave to cool for a couple of minutes
3. Now add the dry ingredients to the pan, plus the whisky and lemon juice, and mix together
4. Once it forms a uniform mixture, leave it to cool, transfer to a bowl and cover with cling film, then refrigerate until set, which should take roughly one hour
5. Preheat the oven to 190C and line a tray with baking parchment
6. Use a teaspoon to scoop out small balls of the mixture and place well apart on a baking tray
7. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes until they have set, with a deep golden brown colour and a lacy texture
8. Once they come out of the oven, give them half a minute to cool slightly, so they’re safe to handle, then work quickly, rolling them into cigar shapes or draping over the back of a cup or muffin tray to make baskets
9. They only remain soft for a couple of minutes outside the oven, so work quickly
10. The presentation side is the one facing up, so if you are rolling them into cigars you should flip them over first (although this is the sort of detail that most guests wouldn’t notice)
11. Leave to cool, then fill with whipped cream, ice cream, fruit compote or just fresh fruit, and serve as soon as possible
12. Brandy snaps can be kept in an airtight container for up to 5 days, so it’s often worth making a decent-sized batch, although that lovely crunch does soften over time