Empire Biscuits

Empire Biscuit = The Russians have caviar, the French fine wine, but beating them all, the Scots have the delicious Empire Biscuit. The biscuit has a layer of jam in between two shortbread biscuits and the top is covered with white water icing, usually decorated with a small jelly sweet (known as a "jube jube")or candied cherry half in the center.

The name was originally German biscuits; however, with the outbreak of World War I it was renamed to empire biscuits, a reference to the British Empire. They are also known in some parts as 'Belgian (or just Belgium) Biscuits.

If you grew up with Scottish parents, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles you are very familiar with the Empire Biscuit. Empire biscuits were always around our house and my Grandmother in Glasgow always made the best. Not able to find a good Scottish bakery in Toronto anymore (where did they all go?)I became extremely excited when JB and I decided to drive to the wineries and stay at Niagara on the Lake (see previous posts). I said to JB "Ooooo Niagara on the Lake, know what that means? Empire biscuits from the Niagara Home Bakery!!" As there are less and less bakeries in Toronto specializing in the needs and tastes of ex-pat Scots (it appears all the older Scottish bakers have retired with their millions and moved to Bermuda or someplace)it means that if I am craving an Empire Biscuit I have to make the hour and a half trek out to Niagara on the Lake to hit the Niagara Home bakery. This Bakery, in photo above, appears to have not changed since it opened. I was reading that they used to make their deliveries via horse and cart. Inside are all sorts of Scottish and English baked goods for purchase. Treacle scones, scottish meat pies, cornish pasties are all available to munch while you walk around the town.

JB and I arrived in Niagara on the Lake on Sunday and he said "do you want to go to the bakery now" to which I replied "no, lets check in to the hotel and I can go to the Bakery tomorrow" Imagine my horror when I walked down the street from our hotel on Monday morning and upon approaching the bakery noticed it seemed quite dark inside and when I got to the door found it to be LOCKED and only then looked up at the sign stating "closed on Mondays". I looked at JB in utter confusion..."locked? closed on Mondays? how can this be?? It's a holiday Monday, look at all the tourists, how can they be closed?" I then stuck my face on the large front window and peered in still not believing the place was closed..... and there sitting in the window display almost mocking me, was a huge tray of Empire biscuits! My heart sank, no biscuits and no Barr's Irn Brew for me! Swearing under my breath I crossed the road and decided I would do some window shopping. I walked by the usual tourist trap souvenir shops, a few restaurants and then walked by the ice cream shop. I thought "wow, that place is busy. How are that many people eating ice cream in this cold, crappy weather?"...I walked on a few steps then something hit me, did I see Empire biscuits in that window?....I stopped backtracked back to the ice cream shop and it turns out that the ice cream shop is also a bakery! A bakery with meat pies, cornish pasties, scones and EMPIRE BISCUITS! I imagine they decided to take the overflow from the closed on Mondays, Niagara Home bakery. I snapped up a half a dozen of the beauties and I am having one now with my tea for a break from my insanely hectic day. These biscuits are pretty good but the Niagara Home Bakery still makes the best Empire biscuits, after my Gran's of course.