The Garibaldi biscuit is a flat, fruit-filled biscuit originating in England, named after Italian general Giuseppe Garibaldi. It is a dry, rectangular biscuit with a layer of currents and a shiny glaze. It can be found in supermarkets worldwide and can also be made at home.
A Garibaldi biscuit is a flat, fruit-filled biscuit originating in England. It is a style of biscuit rather than a brand and is made by several companies. The same form also exists in other countries with different names. The biscuit is named after the Italian general, Giuseppe Garibaldi, and is usually eaten as a snack with a cup of tea.
The cookie comes in large slabs, which are easily broken like blocks of chocolate in a bar into the constituent cookies. These are rectangular, thin biscuits that interweave a layer of currents. The cookie is finished with a glaze on top, giving it a shiny look. The biscuit is quite dry, except for the crushed currents inside.
The Garibaldi biscuit is also known as the “crushed fly biscuit” and the “dead fly biscuit”. The creepy nickname may come from the appearance of the oozing currents between the biscuits, but it could also help determine the biscuit’s origin. There are stories about Giuseppe Garibaldi’s campaigns in which he fought to feed his troops. During these campaigns, he is said to have taken slices of bread and dipped them in horse blood. This was mixed with whatever local berries were on hand and no doubt a host of flies attracted by the scent of blood.
This particular teatime treat originated in 1961. The Garibaldi biscuit owes its origin not to Garibaldi’s desperate search for food, but to a Scottish biscuit maker named John Carr. He helped found Peak Freans, the Bermondsey-based biscuit company. He is believed to have applied the idea of shortbread petticoat tails to the Garibaldi, so they came in semi-perforated strips rather than as individual biscuits.
Modern Garibaldi cookies tend to come in a variety. Previous incarnations had some variety. First, many had more currents inside, making the cookie softer and fruitier. Another incarnation, made by Chiltonian Biscuits, a now defunct manufacturer, was the chocolate-covered Garibaldi. This confection for desserts in two varieties: Garibaldi milk chocolate and Garibaldi dark chocolate.
As well as being available in many supermarkets around the world, especially in Great Britain, the Garibaldi biscuit can be made at home. Additionally, melted chocolate can be added to the Garibaldi biscuit to remake one of its classic incarnations. The biscuit is low in calories or kilojoules and makes a perfect complement to a good cup of tea. Dunking, of course, is optional.
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