A Marie biscuit is a type of biscuit similar to a rich tea biscuit. It is also known (in various languages) as María, Mariebon and Marietta, amongst other names.

Marie biscuit
The most widely known María biscuit is made by Fontaneda, now owned by Mondelēz
TypeBiscuit
Place of originUnited Kingdom
Created byPeek Freans
Main ingredientsWheat flour, vegetable oil, vanilla

Description

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The biscuit is round and usually has the name embossed upon its top surface, the edges of which are also embossed with an intricate design. It is made with wheat flour, sugar, palm oil or sunflower seed oil and, unlike the rich tea biscuit, is typically vanilla-flavoured.[1]

History

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The Marie biscuit was created by the London bakery Peek Freans in 1874 to commemorate the marriage of the Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia to the Duke of Edinburgh.[1][2] It became popular throughout Europe, particularly in Portugal and Spain where, following the Civil War, the biscuit became a symbol of the country's economic recovery after bakeries produced mass quantities to consume a surplus of wheat.[3] Marie biscuits became popular in South Africa after going into production by Bakers Biscuits in 1898.

Consumption

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Marie biscuit used to make batik cake, a type of chocolate cake (similar to the hedgehog slice) popular in Malaysia and Brunei.

Many consider that the plain flavour of Maries makes them, like rich tea biscuits, particularly suitable for dunking in tea. Other popular methods of consuming the biscuit include using two to make a sandwich with butter and Marmite or condensed milk spread in between; covering it with golden syrup; or crumbling it up in custard and jelly (gelatin dessert). Marie biscuits are also a common ingredient in home-baking recipes.

In Spain, natillas custard is typically served with a Maria biscuit on top.

 
Spanish natillas, typically served with a María biscuit on top

In Uruguay, they are served filled with dulce de leche and sprinkled with shredded coconut. In Brazil, they are soaked in milk and then stacked in layers of chocolate and vanilla-flavoured custard cream, with whipped cream and crushed cashew nuts on top to make pavê, a popular Brazilian dessert. In Ireland, the biscuits are known as Marietta and manufactured by Jacob's. In Malaysia, people use them mainly for making batik cake.[4] In India, they are commonly eaten plain with tea or sold in bakeries after coating with chocolate and wrapped in foil.

Manufacturers

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The major international manufacturers (initially sorted by country name):[5]

Country/Region Producer Brands
  Argentina Arcor Maná
Arcor Vocación
  Australia Arnott's Biscuits Holdings Marie
  Belarus Slodych, confectionery factory Marierta
Confectionary Factory Spartak Mariya (Мария)
  Belgium Delacre Maria
  Bolivia La Suprema María Bonita
  Brazil Fábrica Fortaleza Maria
Piraquê Maria
Richester Maria
Vitarella Maria
  Canada President's Choice Maria
  Costa Rica Pozuelo Maria
  Denmark KelsenBisca Mariekiks
  Ecuador Nestlé Ecuador S.A. María
  Egypt Biscomisr Marie
  Finland Kantolan (Made in the Netherlands for Orkla Confectionary & Snacks Finland) Kulta Marie
  Germany Patisserie Gunz Maria
  Hong Kong The Garden Company Limited Marie Biscuits
  India Disha Foods Treff
Bonn Food Industries Mariebon
Britannia Industries Marie Gold, Vita Marie
Parle Products Marie
ITC Limited Marie Light
DK Bakings Kolkata Nutribake Morning Marie
  Indonesia CV Jaya Abadi Marie Regal Biscuits[6]
Mayora Roma Marie Gold, Roma Marie Susu
  Ireland Jacob's Marietta
  Japan Morinaga & Company Marie (マリー)[7]
  Jordan Universal Industries Co. Ltd. Zalloum Group Marie or ماري
  Kenya Manji Food Industries Ltd. Marie
  Kuwait Kuwait Flour Mills & Bakeries Co. Marie ماري
  Libya Muhab Food Co. Benghazi Marie Biscuits
  Lebanon Ghandour Food Marie Biscuits, Lucky 555
  Malaysia Hup Seng Perusahaan Makanan (M) Sdn. Bhd. Ping Pong Marie
Hwa Tai Industries Bhd. Hwa Tai Marie
Munchy Food Industries Sdn. Bhd. Munchy's Marie
Perfect Food Manufacturing (M) Sdn. Bhd. Julie's Marie
  Mauritius Esko & Co ltd. Marie
  Mexico Gamesa Galletas Maria
Goya Marias
  Norway First Price (NorgesGruppen) Mariekjeks
Sætre AS Marie
  Netherlands Pally Holland Mariakaakje, Marie
Verkade Maria
  Panama Productos Alimenticios Pascual S. A. Maria
  Pakistan English Biscuit Manufacturers Marie
  Philippines Comfoods Fibisco Marie Biscuits
Rebisco Marie Biscuit, Marie Time, Marie Munch, Marie Gold[8]
  Portugal Cuétara, Moaçor, Triunfo, Vieira de Castro Bolacha Maria, Bolacha Maria Oro
  Saudi Arabia United Food Industries Corp. Ltd. Co. DeemaH Marie
  Singapore Khong Guan Biscuit Factory (S) Pte. Ltd. Marie Biscuits, Small Marie Biscuits
  South Africa Bakers Blue Label Marie Biscuits, Cappuccino Marie Biscuits
Baumann's Marie Biscuits
Casa-Mia Traditional Marie, Marie Toffee
Bisco Plus Henro Marie
Continental Brands Risi Marie, Risi Petit Marie, Cuétara Maria Cookie 0%
Unity Food Products Marie
  Spain Gullón María Leche, María Dorada, María Hojaldrada
Grupo Siro María Clásica, María Dorada, María Hojaldrada, Mini María
Cuétara María, María Oro, María Hojaldrada
Fontaneda (Mondelez International) La Buena María
Marbú (Artiach) Marbú Dorada
  Sri Lanka CBL (Munchee) Tikiri Marie, Marie Light, Rice Marie, Chocolate Marie[9]
Cargills (Ceylon) PLC Kist Marie[10]
Daintee Ltd Daintee Marie[11]
Luckyland Luckyland Marie
Maliban Biscuit Manufactories Limited Gold Marie, Light Marie, Chocolate Marie, Premium Marie[12]
Manchester Foods Pvt Ltd (Bisma) Ceylon Marie
  South Korea Orion Marie
  Sweden Göteborgs Kex Guld Marie
  Syria Katalina Foods  
  Thailand Laemthong Food Industries Co. Ltd. Laemthong Marie
  Turkey Şimşek Biscuits & Foods Gorona
ANI Biscuits & Foods Marie
  Ukraine Zhytomyr Confectionary Factory ZhL Mariya (Марія)
Yarych Confectionary Factory Mariya (Марія)
Kharkiv Biscuit Factory Mariya (Марія)
  United Kingdom Crawford's Marie
McVitie's Marie
  United States Iberia, Goya Maria cookies
  Uruguay Kraft Foods Maria de Famosa
El Trigal Maria Rika
  Venezuela C.A. Sucesora de Jose Puig & CIA Maria Puig
  Vietnam Kinh Do Corporation Cosy Marie
  Yemen Yemen Company for Industry and Commerce Marie
  Zimbabwe Lebena Marie
Lobels Marie
Arenel Marie

References

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  1. ^ a b James Panton (24 February 2011). Historical Dictionary of the British Monarchy. Scarecrow Press. pp. 40–. ISBN 978-0-8108-7497-8.
  2. ^ Sean O'Grady (20 March 2010). "Minor British Institutions: The Marie biscuit". The Independent. Retrieved 20 March 2010.
  3. ^ "2 Boxes of Classic Maria Cookies by Cuetara". La Tienda. Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2007.
  4. ^ "Marie biscuit, a simple pleasure that rules the world". Biscuit People. 24 March 2017. Archived from the original on 19 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  5. ^ "Marie biscuits". Biscuit People. 6 May 2014. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  6. ^ "About Marie Regal". CV Jaya Abadi. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  7. ^ "Simple Biscuit Life". Morinaga & Co., Ltd. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  8. ^ "Our Brands". Rebisco. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  9. ^ "Marie". Ceylon Biscuits Limited. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  10. ^ "Kist Biscuits". Cargills (Ceylon) PLC. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  11. ^ "Daintee Biscuits & Wafer Products". Daintee Limited. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  12. ^ "Premium Marie". Maliban Biscuit. Archived from the original on 19 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
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