Hobnobs are a classic, quintessential British biscuit; they are oaty, crispy, sweet, with a kick of salt, and can be served as they are or with a chocolate topping. Milk or dark chocolate, your choice. Utterly moreish, I have always loved these biscuits, but I buy them with caution. I simply can’t resist them. Serve with a cup of tea: this is non-negotiable.
Makes 25 - 27
Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients. You will also need baking parchment lined baking trays.
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 (fan 160°C)
Biscuits: it is important that the butter is at room temperature and soft enough to beat. If it is a little hard, beat it with a whisk before adding the other ingredients. If it is already quite soft, you do not need to do this. For more information on softening butter, see here.
Weigh the sugar, salt and golden syrup into a mixing bowl with the butter. The easiest way to measure the syrup is to place a teaspoon into boiling water and then use the hot spoon to measure the syrup.
Weigh in the dry ingredients: the oats, flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Fold in, until evenly mixed, being careful not to over-mix.
Use a 15ml tablespoon to measure the biscuits. You should make around 25 – 27. Roll in your hands to create neat ball shapes. Place spread out on baking parchment lined baking trays. I bake 5 – 6 per tray.
You can either:
- flatten the balls with a palette knife, neaten the edges and bake for 10 – 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Leave on the tray for 15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Or:
- bake the balls in the centre of a pre-heated oven for 6 minutes, remove from the oven, flatten the balls with a palette knife and return to the oven for a further 5 – 6 minutes, or until golden brown. Flattening mid-bake will give you a thinner biscuit than flattening prior to baking.
NB These cooking times will give you a biscuit very slightly soft in the centre. If you prefer a crispier biscuit, cook for a little longer, to taste.
Chocolate topping: chop the chocolate, if necessary, and melt carefully (with the butter) in the microwave. (See Recipe Notes for details.)
Spread a layer of chocolate on the biscuits and leave to set a little for a few minutes. Use a fork to mark some lines in the chocolate and sprinkle a tiny pinch of sea salt flakes on each biscuit. Set aside to fully set.
Equipment:
Be very careful melting the chocolate. Chocolate can be very difficult to work with. You can overheat it very easily and the mixture will go grainy. When this happens, there is no way to resolve it I’m afraid!
Microwave: I give the chocolate (and butter) a minute in the microwave, take it out and stir it well, then let it sit for a few minutes to see if it continues melting sufficiently to melt all the chocolate. If not, I then continue with the microwave but in 10 – 15 second bursts.
Bain Marie: if you do not have a microwave, put the chocolate (and butter) in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Do not let the base of the bowl touch the water. Heat until the chocolate is very nearly melted then take it off the heat and take the bowl off the saucepan. Be very careful not to burn yourself as the bowl will be hot and steam will escape from the saucepan. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes for the residual heat to melt the remainder of the mixture. Again, be careful not to over-heat.