Recipe: Homemade Hobnobs

If you were a biscuit, what type of biscuit would you be?

A reportedly common interview question, albeit one that I haven’t been asked. I’m a bit gutted really, because I’d had the answer ready and waiting for a good few years. I would be a (chocolate half-covered) hobnob. Why? Sweet with a surprising twist (the subtle saltiness), grown up (no child would take a hobnob over a custard cream!) and commonly found with a cup of tea. And because chocolate covered hobnobs just happen to be my absolute favorite biscuit, and one of my only sweet-toothed weaknesses.

I try not to buy biscuits as a rule, but with W being diabetic there is a need to have something sweet, slightly carby and easy-to-eat-quickly on hand. Hobnobs will always be my biscuit of choice as they are super-yummy without being too naughty (well, they have oats!). One is also *enough* to fill a hungry tummy, though certainly not enough to satisfy as I’ll always want more. After several packets were consumed during the revision period (before I discovered an easy energy bite recipe!) I decided I wanted to make my own. And the very day that exams were over and done with, I did.

The first try wasn’t perfect. It tasted too much of golden syrup, didn’t have quite the salty kick I was after. The chocolate wasn’t right (using up a Lindt bunny made them too sweet – I found cheap Basics chocolate to be far better). They spread and amalgamated into a single large traybake. These are much better, though be warned they still spread and need to be far smaller than you’d think. They are sweet, but not tooth-achingly, with a good biscuity snap. So, so good, they didn’t last long at all!

Ingredients

• 125g butter, plus 15g for the chocolate topping
• 85g soft brown sugar (don’t substitute for other types, as this type goes delicious sticky in the mix and helps bind the biscuits)
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp golden syrup
• 100g quick oats
• 90g wholemeal flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt, to taste, plus extra sea salt flakes for sprinkling if wanted
• 150g chocolate

Soften the butter well, then beat together with the sugar – the mix should be pale, creamy and almost fluffy looking. Beat in the golden syrup, before stirring in the oats, flour, baking soda/powder and salt. The mix is very stiff so requires some elbow grease, but I promise it does eventually come together.

Roll small helpings of dough (I use a teaspoon) into balls and flatten on a tray lined with greaseproof, until they are about the thickness of a £1 coin. Leave room for spreading – I recommend a maximum of 6 on each tray. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes at 180C, until the biscuits are golden brown. Allow to cool.

Melt the chocolate together with the 15g of butter, and top each biscuit with a good helping of the mixture. If you’re being good you could leave the chocolate topping off – but I’m not a huge fan of naked hobnobs! Sprinkle with a little seasalt if you’re being fancy, then eat with a good cup of tea.

A delicious treat, I reckon these homemade hobnobs would be a fab addition to lunchboxes – almost like a crunchier version of a flapjack. They are rather oat heavy, and have a crunchy edge with a slightly chewy middle. Perfect to dunk in a cuppa, enjoy whilst studying, or just because. I could see them making a lovely gift tied up with some ribbon too…

If you were a biscuit, what biscuit would you be, and why?