Fox's Brandy Snaps - 100g

In British food, brandy snaps sit somewhere between a biscuit and an occasion. They are the old fairground favourite that ended up on the good plate at Sunday tea, next to the trifle and the best cups.

People in Canada go looking for them because a brandy snap is harder to make than it looks. Plenty have tried at home and ended up with a flat golden puddle and a tray that needed soaking overnight. The Fox's ones arrive already curled, which is the whole trick.

The pack holds a 100g batch of delicate curls, so keep them sealed in the cupboard and away from damp, which is what turns a snap into a sulk. Pipe in the cream just before serving so they stay crisp, crumble the broken ones over ice cream, or simply eat them straight from the pack while nobody is watching.

Fox's is a Yorkshire biscuit maker, also known for the likes of Crunch Creams and Party Rings. Brandy snaps tend to go in the basket alongside a box of proper British tea and a tub of cream with plans attached.