Garibaldi Biscuits Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How are Garibaldi biscuits made? ›

For those unfamiliar, a Garibaldi biscuit is made of 2 layers of thin golden dough and filled with currants between, alongside a sweet sugary glaze on top. The layer of currants is what gives these biscuits their less than appetising colloquial names: “squashed-fly”, “dead-fly”, “fly-sandwich” and more.

The Garibaldi biscuit was named after Giuseppe Garibaldi, the famous Italian general, revolutionary and leader of the struggle to unify the Kingdom of Italy, which finally was achieved in 1861.

GARIBALDI BISCUITS

Surprisingly low in calories and fat ( the saturated fat levels are negligible), with the added advantage of fibre, which boosts bowel health, and iron, important for the health of red blood cells, from the dried fruit. A good snack - if you stick to a couple.

Garibaldis aren't flashy: there's no luxury chocolate, no pretty, brightly-coloured icing, no fancy-pants shapes. They aren't squidgy, trendy cookies, or wholesome buttery shortbread. In fact, they're often called squashed-fly biscuits because the currants baked into the dough resemble, well, squashed flies.

The earliest surviving example of a biscuit is from 1784, and it is a ship's biscuit. They were renowned for their inedibility, and were so indestructible that some sailors used them as postcards.

Huntley & Palmers is a British company of biscuit makers originally based in Reading, Berkshire. Formed by Joseph Huntley in 1822, the company became one of the world's first global brands (chiefly led by George Palmer who joined in 1841) and ran what was once the world's largest biscuit factory.

This quintessential Italian hero with Ligurian parents was actually, ironically, born French as well as Italian, because his birthplace, the port town of Nizza (aka Nice) was a French territory at the time. In 1914 it was given to Italy, and when Italy handed it back to France in 1860, Garibaldi was furious.

How did Giuseppe Garibaldi become famous? Garibaldi fought for Uruguay against Juan Manuel de Rosas, dictator of Argentina, and his heroic victory in the Battle of Sant'Antonio in 1846 spread his fame to Europe.

A Mexican Garibaldi is a buttery upside-down cupcake, coated with apricot jam and white nonpareil sprinkles (pictured at the top of this post). Although this sweet treat was named as a homage to the Italian general Giuseppe Garibaldi, it was first created in Mexico City.

What's the healthiest biscuit to eat? ›

For this reason, the best biscuit for weight loss is a whole wheat biscuit, since they have enhanced nutritional value. Whole wheat biscuits are typically lower in saturated fats and higher in protein and fiber.

In most of North America, nearly all hard sweet biscuits are called "cookies" and savoury biscuits are called "crackers", while the term "biscuit" is used for a soft, leavened quick bread similar to a less sweet version of a scone.

Pirate snacks were called hardtack!

Watch our Treasure Seekers gallery video and see real pirate booty and how early explorers navigated the seas.

The Garibaldi biscuit first appeared in 1861 and was invented by Jonathan Dodgson Carr. You might recognise Carr's surname from his still-famous water-biscuits. The newly created Garibaldi consisted of two crisp biscuit layers filled with sweet currants.

Carr created the Garibaldi for Peek Freans, a biscuit making company based in Bermondsey, London.

The typical digestive biscuit contains coarse brown wheat flour (which gives it its distinctive texture and flavour), sugar, malt extract, vegetable oil, wholemeal, raising agents (usually sodium bicarbonate, tartaric acid and malic acid), and salt.