We needed some treats for our biscuit barrel so that was the subject for today’s Cakes & Bakes… but which kind of biscuit?

Justin started reminiscing about Gypsy Creams – and commenting on the fact that they seem to have disappeared from the shops. I have to admit that growing up in Trinidad, I’d never heard of Gypsy Creams – but they certainly sounded good enough to try.

My numerous baking books didn’t offer a single recipe, but fortunately I found one available online.

They incorporate flour, butter, oats, golden syrup and most importantly chocolate. Two crisp biscuity layers sandwich a moist chocolate buttercream layer.

Apparently coconut can be added to the recipe too. These are often called Romany Creams, but Justin thinks that the packet Gypsy Creams from his youth had something ‘coconutty’ about them.

I have to say that they’re absolutely delicious – and are now a firm favourite of mine having missed out for nearly 50 years!

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Gypsy Creams

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Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine British

Servings 12 biscuits

Ingredients

  

For the biscuit dough

• 100 g/4oz butter
• 90 g/3oz golden syrup
• 50 g/2oz caster sugar
• 50 g/2oz porridge oats
• 10 g/½oz cocoa powder
• 175 g/6oz plain flour

For the buttercream

• 150 g/5oz icing sugar
• 50 g/2oz butter softened
• 1 tbsp milk
• 50 g/2oz dark chocolate melted

Instructions

 

For the biscuits

• Preheat the oven to 170ºC/325ºF/Gas mark 3
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Set aside
• In a large saucepan, place the butter, syrup & sugar; melting gently over a low heat, stirring to combine
• Sift the flour together with the cocoa powder before adding the oats to the mixture
• Add these dry ingredients to the saucepan and mix together well
• Leave to cool slightly
• Take heaped teaspoons of the mixture and roll each into a ball between your palms
• Place on the baking sheet leaving room between each ball
• Flatten each ball slightly using the back of a fork
• Bake for approximately 20 minutes
• Using a palette knife, carefully transfer the biscuits on to a wire rack to cool completely

For the buttercream

• While the biscuits are baking/cooling make the buttercream filling
• Put the icing sugar, butter, milk and chocolate into a mixing bowl and combine until smooth

To finish

• Spoon ½tsp of buttercream on to a biscuit and sandwich together with another biscuit

Keyword biscuits, cookies