Empire Biscuits (2024)

FAQs

What are empire biscuits called now? ›

Although Empire Biscuit remains the most common name in Scotland, it still has a few other names. You'll occasionally hear the simple 'Double Biscuit' used, while the term 'German Biscuit' still remains popular in Northern Ireland.

With the outbreak of the First World War it was rechristened the Empire biscuit in England. The biscuit was also renamed in Scotland and New Zealand to the Belgian biscuit, as a result of the invasion of Belgium. Despite this, in Northern Ireland it remains known as the German biscuit or biscuit bun.

Having brought you Norwegian boller and German pumpernickel we thought something Scottish was somewhat overdue. So here we bring you Scottish empire biscuits! In some places they are called German biscuits but their origin actually lies with the Austrian Empire.

A Biscuit (U.S.) Is a Scone (U.K.)

A British biscuit is not remotely similar to the fluffy and filling American biscuits made famous in Southern American cuisine. The closest British equivalent to those buttery miracles is a scone, which ain't too bad either.

The Earliest Evidence

The Romans certainly had a form of biscuit, what we'd now call a rusk and, as the name suggests, it was essentially bread which was re-baked to make it crisp. It kept for longer than plain bread, and was useful for travellers and soldiers' rations.

As the world's leading biscuit brand, Parle-G has become more than just a product; it represents cherished memories and a taste that transcends generations.

Empire biscuits (sometimes known as German biscuits) are lovely little biscuits, filled with delicious jam, and topped with sweet icing & a jelly tot or glacé cherry.

In pictures: 'World's biggest' empire biscuit unveiled ahead of Carluke's Jam and Ham Festival. A TEAM of bakers have unveiled the 'world's biggest' empire biscuit. The giant treat, assembled by Carluke jam maker R&W Scott and Clarks the bakers, measures an incredible 36 inches in diameter and weighs 15kg.

Do they still make Royal Scot biscuits? ›

The final biscuit has been baked at Scotland's McVitie's factory as production ceases at the historic Tollcross site.

German Biscuits, also known as Empire Biscuits, Belgian Biscuits and, originally (according to Wikipedia) Linzer Biscuits or Deutsch Biscuits. In the brief history of the German Biscuit that I gleaned from my research, it turns out that around the time of WWI, many people started to call these Empire Biscuits.

Parlies. Parlies are small shortbread biscuits that originated in the 18th century Edinburgh and were first supplied to the gentry and members of the Scottish Parliament from a shop in Waverley, owned by a certain Mrs. Flockhart, who was also known as Luckie Fykie.

The Leibniz-Keks or Choco Leibniz is a German-Polish brand of biscuit or cookie produced by the Bahlsen food company since 1891. It was created by the firm as a rival to a similar French biscuit, the Petit-Beurre.

In November 2014, United Biscuits and hence also McVitie's were sold to Yildiz, a company in Istanbul, Turkey which in 2016 merged some of its subsidiaries including United Biscuits as Pladis.

Pladis is relaunching McVities sub-brand BN biscuits after a four-year hiatus. Billed as “deliciously light, golden-baked biscuits, sandwiched together with tasty, flavoured fillings”, the biscuits will launch in regular and 'mini' sizes.

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.