We ate the majority of these biscuits on the last train from Leeds to Doncaster after a 30 th birthday party last weekend. Straight out the fridge these biscuits are firm with a satisfying snap left to sit on the side overnight they turn softer, the filling and biscuit melting together in a perfect, chocolaty marriage. Sarah adds malted milk powder to the filling which is a very good thing, but you could also try mint or orange oil, caramel or coconut if you want to mix things up.
The recipe couldn’t be simpler and reminds me of my own recipe for bourbon biscuits, minus the booze and with the addition of an extra chocolate coating which is never a bad thing. So there you have it – these are not just homemade Penguin bars, but superior ones at that.
A little googling told me that a Penguin and a Tim Tam are essentially the same thing, although in taste tests Tim Tams seem to come out slightly on top. Except because I’ve never actually tasted a Tim Tam, the finished versions tasted to me like those much loved Penguin bars of my childhood. The very fact that I’d seen – and read descriptions of – so many versions meant I knew how completely incredible these Tim Tams were going to be. I’ve seen several versions of Sarah’s homemade Tim Tams floating round the internet (look here, here and here for starters), so when I received a copy of her gorgeous cookbook, I was convinced I’d have to try something different. Penguin bars were pretty much a staple 1980s snack in every household except ours, so while it might have seemed boring to some, the addition of this run-of-the-mill chocolate bar to my seasonal stash was always very welcome. Every Halloween as a child, in amongst the fang-shaped Haribo and fun-sized Mars Bars that filled my trick or treat bag, I’d almost always end up with a Penguin bar scrabbled from the biscuit tin of an unprepared mum. If there’s a shop-bought something I’m craving, I’ll likely try to recreate it at home. If you’ve bought my book or read this blog for any length of time, you’ll know I’m not a big fan of packaged treats. With 31 st October just around the corner, my mind is turning to bite-sized snacks.
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