Brandy Snaps Push the Bakers to Their Breaking Point|Episode 1: The Bakers must make Mary Berry's Brandy Snaps.|On the premiere episode of "The Great Holiday Baking Show" it is "Cookie Week" and the bakers are tasked with making their own special Christmas cookies as well as a batch of cookies, or biscuits, based on one of judge Mary Berry's recipes. The Bakers are brought to their breaking point when they must make Mary Berry's Brandy Snaps during this week's Technical Bake. Watch "The Great Holiday Baking Show" MONDAYS at 10|9c.

 

Brandy Snaps

Makes 16

• 4 Tbsps unsalted butter
• ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup golden syrup
• 3 Tbsps plus 1 ½ tsps. All purpose flour
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp lemon juice

Quick Eggnog

• ¼ cup whole milk
• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsps granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 Tbsp brandy

Eggnog Cinnamon Whipped Cream

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 Tbsps powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ cup eggnog

Directions:

Brandy Snaps

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line four baking sheets with parchment paper. Oil a 1 inch thick handle of a wooden spoon and set it aside on a cooling rack.

2. Add the butter, sugar and syrup to a small heavy bottomed sauce pot.

3. Heat gently until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. About 15 minutes over low heat. Be careful not to let the mixture boil as this may cause crystallization.
To check when the sugar has dissolved, stir occasionally, pulling the spoon across the bottom of the pan until you can no longer hear the gritty granules being scraped along
and most of them have disappeared.

4. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool for 2-3 minutes. Sift in the flour andginger. Pour in lemon juice and whisk until smooth. Use a teaspoon to dollop 4
heaping scoops of batter onto each prepared baking tray, giving you 16 total circles. Making sure to leave about 4 inches in between each brandy snap as they will spread
during baking.

5. Bake for about 7 minutes or until the mixture is well spread out, appears lacey, and is a golden brown color. Remove from oven and allow the brandy snaps to firm up
slightly. You need to work quickly to shape the brandy snaps once they are cooled for about 2 minutes. Using an offset spatula or fish spatula lift the brandy snaps one at a
time from the parchment. The mixture needs to be firm enough to remove, but pliable enough to shape. Check by releasing around and under the edges with a small offset
spatula.

6. Quickly roll a circle of the warm mixture around the handle of the wooden spoon, having each end join underneath. Press gently to create a tube, it will overlap to create
a smooth surface. Slide the brandy snap off the spoon and leave it to firm up on the wire rack seam side down. Repeat process with remaining brandy snaps. If any of the
circles on the sheet harden too much to work with, put them back in the oven for a few seconds to soften again. Bake the trays of brandy snaps one at a time. This will
allow you to work quickly with the circles that are ready. If they sit too long they wont be easy to work with.

7. Once brandy snaps have cooled completely, about 5 minutes, they are ready to be filled. Fill each brandy snap with the Eggnog Cinnamon Whipped Cream using your
star tipped piping bag. Fill each side of each brandy snap starting from the center and pulling out towards the end. Be careful not to crack the brandy snaps. Once filled
serve immediately or chill.

Quick Eggnog

1. In a medium bowl, add all ingredients except brandy.

2. Using an emersion blender, blend mixture together for 3-5 minutes until thickened and bubbly. Whisk in brandy. Set aside until ready to use.

Eggnog Cinnamon Whipped Cream

1. Add heavy cream to a large metal bowl. Whisk for 2-3 minutes until soft peaks begin to form.

2. Add in sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Whisk until stiff peaks form, about 1 minutes.

3. Gently whisk in eggnog. Place filling into a piping bag with a large star tip. Chill until ready to use.

Notes:

1. The mixture cools quickly when scooping it onto the prepared baking sheets. Work quickly to get the mixture on the baking sheets, if it hardens place back over low heat
to soften and make pourable again.

2. Mixture makes 16 brandy snaps. (1 heaping tsp each)

3. Can also spray 1 inch handle with cooking spray instead of rubbing it with oil.

Hazards to Watch Out for:

1. If the mixture boils on the stove it causes crystallization of your brandy snap batter.
This will lead to a rough brandy snap with potential crispy, hard sugary pockets in
your snaps

2. Once the batter is made, it needs to be spooned onto the prepared baking sheets quickly or else it needs to be reheated to spoon out. To reheat it after the flour is
added you risk cooking it too much or changing the whole batter.

3. Keep a close eye on your brandy snaps! They burn quickly. If the snaps get too dark in the oven, it will create a bitter flavor. They might look a beautiful dark golden
brown but make sure they do not get TOO dark. If they do, you will not be able to get rid of that bitter flavor and you should redo the whole bake.

4. To create 16 uniform circles is next to impossible because of the spreading that happens. Definitely try to create the most uniform circles you can, but know they will
likely not all be exact.

5. When forming the brandy snaps, be careful not to break them. Once they are set, sliding them off the spoon is challenging as they crack easily being so lacey and
delicate.

6. Take care while making the eggnog. If you don’t blend it long enough it will be too thin and ruin your whipped cream.

7. If the whipped cream filling becomes over-whipped it can have the consistency of butter. We want a light and airy mixture to compliment our light and airy brandy
snaps!