Revealed, the best biscuit to savour with a cup of tea

EXPERTS have warned a bourbon biscuit with a cup of builders’ tea could be doing irreparable damage... to the taste of both.

Food scientists from London and the Netherlands have revealed the best flavours to pair with a classic cup of English breakfast tea are earthy, oat-based biscuits such as digestives or Hobnobs, pictured.

A standard cuppa’s strong, malty taste serves to enhance sweetness in a biscuit, making something too chocolatey overpowering.

If you must have a sweeter biscuit, opt not to have sugar in the tea. For those who enjoy Earl Grey, a lemoninfused treat is the best option due to the tea’s bergamot and floral flavour profile.

The tea and snacks pairing guide was produced by scientists at Nali Consulting, which advises food brands, to mark the launch of Guide Dogs’ Make Every Cuppa Count fundraising campaign on April 19.

A spokesman for the campaign, which invites people to host a tea party, coffee morning or bake sale, said: ‘Drinking tea is a national pastime, so it’s surprising to see how many people aren’t maximising their brew potential.’ A number of Guide Dogs’ celebrity supporters have weighed in with their own preferences, including Lorraine Kelly who enjoys a strong builders’ tea with regular milk and chocolate digestives. Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden said: ‘My choice is an English breakfast tea with oat milk and a vegan digestive.’ A OnePoll.com survey of 2,000 tea drinkers found four in ten have a biscuit or snack with their brew, with a classic digestive deemed the best to accompany builders’ tea – although 42 per cent would opt for the chocolate version. Shortbread (43 per cent) and Rich Tea (39 per cent) biscuits also scored highly. The average adult sips three cups of tea a day, with 44 per cent admitting to being committed snack or biscuit dunkers.