Brandy Snaps Recipe For Brandy Snap Baskets

BRANDY SNAPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/ 160 fan/ gas mark 4 and two baking trays with baking parchment.
• Put the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan and heat gently until the butter and sugar have melted. Put the flour and ginger in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the lemon zest and juice and the brandy. Pour in the butter mixture and gradually beat it into the flour until the mixture is thoroughly combined.
• Use a teaspoon to dollop 3 - 4 heaps of mixture onto the prepared baking tray. A heaped tsp is enough for a cigar and two heaped teaspoons is enough for a basket. Space them well apart as they will spread. Cook in batches for 8 - 10 mins until set, golden brown and lacy in appearance. Do not allow to go too dark as they will taste bitter. Leave for a minute before shaping - the snaps should still be pliable but set enough to move without tearing.
• You can shape the brandy snaps into cigars or baskets. To make cigars, oil the handle of a wooden spoon and wrap the brandy snap around. If you have a long handle or more than one spoon, you can do a few at a time. The base of the biscuits should be the bit that touches the spoon so that the top 'presentation' side of the biscuit is seen. Transfer to a cooling rack. To make baskets, oil the base of small ramekins or narrow tumblers and drape the biscuits over them. The top of the biscuit should touch the base this time as this is the bit you'll see.
• Pipe whipped cream into the cigars or use the baskets or cones for ice cream and berries. If not using straightway, store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

BRANDY SNAPS BASKETS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line baking trays with non-stick parchment paper.
• In a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, golden syrup and salt.
• Let this melt over medium-low heat, stirring until the brown sugar has dissolved, but avoid letting the mixture boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool for a minute.
• Add in the flour and ground ginger. Mix it together with a wooden spoon until combined and glossy.
• Drop around 2 teaspoons of batter per brandy snap onto the prepared baking tray.
• Start with just one or two, so you can see how fast your oven bakes them. Space them far apart too as they will spread.
• Bake until amber-brown and lacy, anywhere between 5-8 minutes, depending on your oven. The cookies should spread out and become bubbly and deep amber-brown, but you don't want the edges burning or becoming too dark or they will be bitter. Some ovens cook much faster than others. Watch them closely and turn down the oven temperature if you need to.
• Let the cookies cool for around 1 minute before shaping.
• Have a greased upside-down muffin pan ready to go, or use upside-down jars or small bowls.
• Once they're not too hot to touch (but still pliable), use an offset spatula to gently lift up the cookie.
• Place a hot cookie over one of the upside-down cups, pressing it down gently and around the cup. Hold it in place until it firms up a bit, then remove it. If you leave them on the tray too long and they harden too much to shape, place the tray back in the oven for 30 or so seconds to warm the cookies back up.
• Let them cool further on a wire rack while you bake the rest.
• In a bowl add the cream, vanilla, and sugar. Whip the cream until soft peaks form, taking care not to over-whip it.
• Brandy-snap baskets should only be filled right before serving.
• Dollop or use a piping bag to pipe the cream into the baskets, then top with chopped strawberries and shredded mint.
• Dust with a little extra powdered sugar.