Dunk roamin’...the perfect tea biccies
MUNCHING a bourbon biscuit with your tea may ruin the taste of both – as experts warn they are a bad match.
Food scientists have declared that the dream companion for a mug of English breakfast tea is actually an oat-based biscuit – such as digestives or Hobnobs.
A standard cuppa’s strong, malty taste enhances sweetness in its dunking partner, making chocolatey treats overpowering.
Earl Grey fans should crunch something lemon-infused as the tea’s bergamot and floral flavours contrast nicely with citrus.
Researchers also think carrot cake goes best with a black chai tea because of its cinnamon, cardamom and clove notes.As for peppermint tea, which aids digestion, chilli and dark chocolate nibbles provide the sharpest “aromatic harmony”.
The advice was shared to mark the launch of the Make Every Cuppa Count campaign for Guide Dogs on April 19.
The charity is giving away dog-shaped cookie cutters and puppy bunting for fundraising tea parties, coffee mornings and bake sales.
Celebrity supporter Lorraine Kelly says she prefers a strong builder’s tea with regular milk and chocolate digestives – while Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden’s choice is an English breakfast tea with oat milk and a vegan digestive.
Natalie Alibrandi, of Nali Consulting, which studied the pairings in London and Holland, explained: “Personal enjoyment of flavours remains paramount.
“While taste plays a role, our sense of smell, with its millions of receptors, significantly shapes flavour perception by detecting key odorants.
“Complementary aromas and how we perceive them play a pivotal role in our enjoyment of combined flavours.”