Gypsy Creams – Golden Crunch Creams

I recently pondered biscuits no longer sold in stores, like McVitie’s Gypsy Creams. So I decided to make a version based on various recipes. I also call these Golden Crunch Creams, similar to a Marks & Spencer biscuit. McVities versions were in vanilla and chocolate varieties, with similar options elsewhere. They have a light, crunchy texture with sweet buttercream-style filling.

It is some years since I tasted a one. I think these are fairly close to what the originals. However I am sure they are not exactly the same. But I know for sure that they are very good indeed.

I do recall that, often, I would pull the biscuits apart and enjoy the filling before devouring the biscuits. Of course, being an adult, I would never do that now :).

The recipe

The biscuit recipe is simple, using flour, oats, sugar, butter, baking powder, baking soda, salt, golden syrup, vanilla extract, and boiling water. The filling is butter, icing sugar, and vanilla extract. Two biscuits are filled together. The outcome is a perfectly crunchy sandwich biscuit with wonderful filling. The biscuits also taste delightful alone. So if you prefer you can just make the biscuits and enjoy them without a filling. However you decide they will be great.

My Biscuits

I baked my biscuits 18 minutes, achieving the expected spread and golden brown color. After cooling, I sandwiched them with buttercream. The biscuits were light as feathers and had such a great crunch. As mentioned, the taste was fantastic—perfect for enjoying with afternoon tea.

Another great biscuit recipe is Gingernuts.

Gypsy Creams – Golden Crunch Creams

Recipe by (based on several different ones)Course: Biscuits, CookiesDifficulty: Easy

Servings

15

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

18

minutes

Ingredients

• Biscuits

• 225g(1 1/2 cups, based on scooping packed flour into a 250ml cup) plain flour

• 225g(1 cup) softened unsalted butter

• 100g(1/2 cup) caster sugar

• 75g(3/4 cup) porridge oats/rolled oats

• 20g(1 tbsp) golden syrup

• 30ml(2 tbps) boiling water

• 5ml(1 tsp) Vanilla extract

• 2g(1/2 tsp) baking powder

• 2g(1/2 tsp) baking soda

• pinch of salt
  

• Filling

• 150g(1 1/2 cups) icing sugar

• 75g(5 tbsp+1tsp) softened unsalted butter

• 5ml(1 tsp) Vanilla extract

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/350F
• Line two baking trays with parchment paper, or silicone mats
• In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Add the golden syrup, vanilla extract and water and whisk until fully combined.
• Mix the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and oats into the flour and stir to combine.
• Add that dry mixture into the large bowl with the butter mixture and stir until fully combined into a dough.
• Spoon equal amounts, of about 21 grams(3/4 oz) into your hands and roll into a ball(flour your finger tips to help this as the dough will be sticky). You should get 30 balls.
• Place the balls, with good gaps between each, on the baking trays.
• Press each ball down a little to flatten it.
• Bake the biscuits in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until they have spread and have turned a golden brown colour.
• Remove the biscuits from the oven and gently transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• In a large bowl mix the icing sugar, vanilla extract and butter together to form an icing.
• Match the biscuits into pair of the same size and turn over one of each pair.
• Spoon equal amounts of filling onto each of the upturned biscuits.
• Place the matching biscuit on the top and press to spread the filling to create the sandwich.
• Leave the biscuits for a while to let the filling set up before serving.