Abbey Crunch

Abbey Crunch was a British biscuit brand produced by McVitie's. The tag line was "the original oat biscuit".[1][2]

Production

According to historian Don Quinn, organiser of the Colchester Food and Drink Festival, the Colchester Priory Biscuit created in the 1800s by two unknown local bakers, and this later morphed into Abbey Crunch, and in turn morphed into the Hobnob, both of which are sweeter due to the addition of golden syrup.[1][3][4]

The biscuits were packed into a PET tray created by blow moulding and protected from moisture with a Rayophane MXXT film wrapping.[5][6]

Since McVities have stopped manufacturing the biscuits, cooks such as Mary Berry have created their own recipes for home baking.[7][8][9]

Reception

In a 2013 BBC documentary about the Great British Biscuit, Nigel Slater and Stuart Payne discussed the Abbey Crunch and agreed that it was the "finest of all biscuits". Payne still had an unopened packet of Abbey Crunch in his collection.[10]

Stephen Fry in his autobiography Moab Is My Washpot mentions "Abbey Crunch biscuits" as the first in a long list of pleasurable items.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b Dalby, Tom (3 April 2018). "Colchester is 'the proud home' of the biscuit which inspired the Hobnob". Essex County Standard. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  2. ^ "Abbey Crunch". nicecupofteaandasitdown.com. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  3. ^ "A local historian from Colchester fascinated by the". East Anglian Daily Times. 21 April 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  4. ^ Ward, Mark (2 June 2003). "Web takes the biscuit". BBC. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  5. ^ Food Manufacture, vol. 45, Morgan-Grampian, 1970, p. 74
  6. ^ Food Processing, vol. 52, Techpress, 1983, p. 29
  7. ^ Mary Berry (2018), "6", Fast Cakes: Easy Bakes in Minutes, ISBN 978-1472243003
  8. ^ "Abbey Crunch Biscuits". veggie-recipe.com. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  9. ^ Scott, Cara-Louise (4 April 2023). "Recipe: Abbey Crunch Biscuits". redbrick. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  10. ^ Bain, Sam (2013-12-14). "Nigel Slater's Great British Biscuit goes well with a nice cuppa". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  11. ^ Moab is My Washpot: A Memoir. Soho Press. 6 September 2011. ISBN 9781616951450.