I Love it the message of in the back of the Foxs Brandy Snap. The company asking for notes and letters, saying specifically they love hearing from their customers. It inspired me to share my passion for the lowly Brandy snap, particularly Fox’s Brandy Snap. We used to call it Grandy snap when we were kids. The discount outlet stop in Batley West Yorkshire was a regular stop on school holiday outings, followed by a trip to Batley Park to feed George the swan on the lake the biscuit crumbs from the bottom of the bag and dip our fluorescent nets on drooling rods into the murky water and then munch on the Brandy snap, fuel for the walk home. The Foxes Biscuit Factory still a tourist attraction. People travel to visit the famous factory, established 1853 and still on the same site. If you get a chance to visit it’s a real Industrial Revolution experience. You get a real sense of Victorian factories life just from the looming stone cobbled streets and brick buildings characteristic of the small West Yorkshire town.
When I have time I make my own. They cook fast in the aga, about 10 minutes so I can’t give you temperatures. I follow Delia Smiths recipe, I am a fan of her cookbooks, if you follow to the letter, things rarely go wrong.
Ingredients
Butter: 2 oz (50 g), plus extra for greasing
Molasses sugar: 2 oz (50 g)
Golden syrup: 1½ oz (40 g)
Plain flour: 1½ oz (40 g), sifted
Ground ginger: ¾ teaspoon
Brandy: 1 teaspoon
Method
Melt the Base: Combine the butter, molasses sugar, and golden syrup in a thick-based saucepan. Heat gently, stirring constantly, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth with no granules.
Incorporate Flour: Remove the pan from the heat. Beat in the sifted flour and ground ginger until smooth, followed by the brandy. You end up with a thick batter.
Prepare for Baking: Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place two separate tablespoons of the mixture onto the tray, allowing enough space for them to spread to roughly 7 inches (18 cm) in diameter.
Bake: Bake in a preheated oven (160°C fan/325°F/Gas 3) for 8–10 minutes. Watch closely during the final 2 minutes to ensure they turn a deep golden, lacy color without burning.
Shape: Let them cool for about 2 minutes on the tray until firm enough to lift but still pliable. Drape one at a time over an upturned, greased jam jar or glass, pressing the edges to create a ruffled "basket" shape. For traditional brandy snap, roll them around the handle of a wooden spoon.
Tip: If they become too hard to mold, return them to the oven for 1 minute to soften.
They are the easiest and most delicious biscuit dessert treat to make. Fantastic quick project to do with kids as the moulding is really fun. If tackling the baking is just too much Foxs Brandy Snaps are extremely close to homemade, the only downside is you only get 8 in a box and they can be quite difficult to find unless it’s Christmas. I’ve had the best success at Sainsbury’s. They stock them all year around but head up when they come in, they do sell out quick so I tend to buy a few boxes at a time.
They keep in the cupboard unopened for a few months.