DUNKIN’OLOGY19
Science behind perfect timing to soak your biscuits in tea 60C to 65C.
Each biscuit was dunked vertically, to its mid-point, in a mug of freshly prepared tea – with milk, no sugar – and maintained at a temperature of
BY
BEFORE you take the plunge, it’s worth digesting these crumbs of wisdom about the perfect amount of time to dunk your biscuit.
But be warned, along with an optimal time to submerge your biccy, there is also a “dunking danger zone” before it dissolves into hot tea.
Dr Helen Pilcher, who has a PHD in stem cell biology, has discovered the average biscuit should absorb 20% of its original weight in liquid for the perfect dunking experience.
Milk Chocolate Digestives and Hobnobs can be submerged for just over three seconds, while Penguin bars need six and a half seconds.
But it is straight in-straight out for Fruit Shortcakes and Ginger Nuts, at a mere 0.3 seconds optimum dunking. Dr Pilcher, who has been appointed by Mcvitie’s as their “chief dunking officer”, found a Chocolate Caramel Digestive can withstand a 40 second dip before it starts to break up.
Each biscuit was dunked vertically, to its mid-point, in a mug of freshly prepared tea – milk, no sugar – kept at a temperature of 60-65C.
Dr Pilcher’s appointment followed a survey, commissioned by the biscuit maker, which found the average person loses 83 snacks a year into their drinks.
She said: “The porosity of a biscuit makes it an ideal snack to soak up all the deliciousness.
“However, we are still susceptible to over-dunking biscuits, which is why we’ve identified the optimum dunking time. Respect the dunking danger zone and we can save the nation from future dunking disasters.”
The survey of 2,000 biscuit fans, via Onepoll, found Digestives are the favourite treat to dip, followed by Chocolate Digestives and Rich Tea.
Tea, coffee, and hot chocolate are the most popular drinks to dunk in, but milk and orange juice also feature.
James King, of Mcvitie’s UK & Ireland, said: “We were shocked to discover how many biscuits are being lost to dodgy dunking each week.
“We’ve appointed a chief dunking officer to save the public from these dunking debacles.”