Brandy Snaps ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is nothing more delicious than home made “Brandy Snaps.”  I first discovered them at the age of nine, when I was invited by an English family for a sleep over……ever so exciting…..The mother, for tea, suggested ‘We’  make “Brandy Snaps!!!!!” This was too thrilling for words……..

I never forgot the “Brandy Snaps,” and the tradition followed on when I had children and right up to this very day!

The History is interesting too, because contrary to belief they have no ‘brandy’ in them! Click on the ‘wikipedia’ link below…….

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandy_snaps

 

For Henry John and Irene!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orange Cake and Chocolate Biscuits and Brandy Snaps! YUM!!!!

 

 

 

Makes 20

 

 

 

Oven 180.C/ 350.F

 

 

Ingredients

65 g butter

60 g light brown sugar ( small granules )

55 g Golden Syrup

60 g plain flour

Pinch of Ginger powder

For Filling

150 ml heavy cream or whipping cream

50 g shelled lightly roasted pistachio nuts, finely chopped

 

Method : Pre-heat oven 180.c/350.F

 

1. Brush two baking trays, sparingly with butter. Weigh out your ingredients.

2. Place a small saucepan on your scales, zero scales and pour in golden syrup. Remove saucepan from scales and add light brown sugar and butter.* If you use the darker sugar, you won’t be able to judge when they are cooked so easily.

4. Stir gently over a low heat, until sugar crystals dissolve. This can take up to ten minutes.

5. Sift flour together with powdered ginger and add to your saucepan. Gently stir in  the center of your saucepan, bringing in the flour bit by bit, this way it does not create lumps.

6. Place mixture in bowl and place in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes, or until mixture is firm.

7. Using a teaspoon place a walnut sized amount in the palm of your hand and roll into a ball.

8. Place at 10 cm intervals on baking trays. It is best to bake one tray at a time, so that the rolling procedure is easier.

9. Place in oven and cook until “toffee” colored. Your ball will spread out and become ‘lace-like.’ * You don’t want to undercook them or they will be soft, nor over cook them to dark caramel or they will be bitter. See color in photograph. 5-6 minutes.

In the mean time oil 4-5 wooden spoon handles and lie against the side of your oven tray.

10. When your brandy snaps are ready remove from oven and wait 2-3 minutes. As soon as you can pass a ‘spatular’ underneath them to unstick them, then quickly lift and wrap round spoon, giving a light squeeze to your brandy snap to seal it. Lay spoon against side of roasting tin to cool. Proceed quickly to rolling the rest. If they harden too quickly, replace tray in oven to soften Brandy Snaps for a minute. Remove from spoon handles and place on wire wrack to go completely cold.

*It takes a few times to get it right and a ‘non-stick’ soft spatula helps when they are very hot. See photographs.

11. When completely cold, if not using straight away, store in air tight container. You can store them up to a week, so they are great for making ahead of time.

12. When ready to serve, maximum 20 minutes before hand, using a piping bag with star nozzle, fill with stiffly whipped cream and dip ends in finely chopped, lightly roasted pistachio nuts. To roast pistachios, peel and place under grill on a baking tray until just browning, careful they easily burn, keep your eye on them! Then finely chop.

Cook’s Tip: These are a ‘real treat’ and if you choose to fill them with berries or ice-cream, you can lift your brandy snap over a small oiled ramekin and press down to form a cup shape.

 

 

This is what you are aiming for……..

 

 

Measure out your ingredients. * Golden Syrup out side England to be found in International Food Stores.

 

Place saucepan on scales, zero/tare and pour in Golden Syrup. Then add weighed light brown sugar and butter.

Place over medium heat and stir until sugar crystals are melted. This can take up to ten minutes.

 

Sieve plain flour and ginger (powder) together and mix well.

 

Once sugar has dissolved, add flour and stir in the center with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated.

 

…….like this.

Place in bowl and leave in refrigerator until solid. 20-30 minutes.

 

Using a teaspoon remove a walnut sized amount……

 

….and roll into a ball in the palm  of your hand.

 

Place on buttered baking sheet 10 cm apart, as they spread when they melt. Bake one tray at a time, so as to have time to roll them.  The teaspoon is to give you an idea of size. Remove and place tray in pre-heated oven.

 

Lay out four wooden spoons standing up on baking tray and oil handles.

 

 

 

Once your Brandy Snaps are a nice ‘toffee brown’ color after 5-6 minutes, remove baking tray, stand on heat proof mat and wait 1-2 minutes, until you can slide palette knife underneath. This is ‘essential’ to unstick the Brandy Snap first. ( ***At first the Brandy Snap will be too soft to get a knife under.)

With out delay, lift up and over greased spoon handle and carefully roll around giving a gentle squeeze at the end to stick edges. this will take a few tries at first, once you get the knack they come out beautifully.

 

I prefer to leave final edge facing upwards, so that it keeps shape, otherwise if left on the down side it hangs, as you can see in the photograph.

 

Here I am having another go…….

 

….they are getting ever better!

 

……Perfect!!!!!

 

……last batch…….

 

….wow becoming a pro!!!!

 

Pressing the edges.

 

 

 

Once cool, gently pull off spoons and leave on wire cake wrack to go completely cold. If not using straight away

store in an airtight container. They keep easily up to a week. Perfect for getting made ahead of time! Once the cream is piped in they will soften after about an hour, so pipe last minute!

Using a star nozzle piping bag, 20 minutes before using fill with stiffly whipped cream. If wished you can also dip the ends in finely roasted pistachio nuts.

 

 

Final result!

Crispy light and delicious!