OnePoll (Biscuit)
Written: Monday, February 22, 2010OH CRUMBS
Sweet-toothed Brits yesterday (Sun) named the humble Custard Cream as their Favourite Biscuit Ever.
The two wedges of biscuit stuck together with a vanilla creamy centre beat delicious dunkers like Hobnobs, Rich Teas and Digestives to claim the top spot.
Second in the poll was McVitie's Chocolate Digestive, which was invented in 1839 by two Scottish doctors to aid digestion but became an instant best-seller when chocolate was added in 1925.
A whopping 71 million packets are sold every year - and 52 biscuits are munched every SECOND.
The Chocolate HobNob was voted into third place and crumbly shortbread - made from one part white sugar, two parts butter, and three parts oatmeal flour, was fourth.
The plain HobNob made from rolled and jumbo oats completed the top five.
A spokesman for www.OnePoll.com which carried out the poll of 6,000 Brits said: ''Chocolate Digestives have been a firm favourite for years, but they've finally been budged off the top spot by Custard Creams.
''The fun is in how you decide to eat it - firstly nibbling off one side, licking the cream centre and finally munching the second biscuity side.
''They also withstand prolonged dunking which is so important for a biscuit-loving nation like us.
''Workers plan their day around them and once we have a favourite, it's hard to stop buying them.''
Other biccies which made the cut include the Jammy Dodger (six), Ginger Nut (10) and plain Digestives (12).
Chocolate varieties dominated the top ten with Chocolate Chip Cookies (seven), Bourbon Creams (nine), and Chocolate Fingers (11) all scoring highly.
Old-fashioned classics also fared well, with Pink Wafer Biscuit in 14th place and Fig Rolls creeping in, in 17th spot.
The survey also revealed that the majority of people dunk their biscuits into their tea or coffee - with 55 per cent enjoying the activity.
And the classic Rich Tea biscuit was voted the best dunking variety by biccie fans.
But four in ten are regularly caught out by 'snappage' - where the biscuit breaks after being submerged too long, leaving soggy crumbs in the bottom of the mug.
The poll also proved that once we have chosen our favourites we tend to stick with them - one in five people have bought the same biscuits for more than 20 years.
A third of workers admitted a mid-morning biscuit can help increase productivity at work - with 10.37am pin-pointed as the time we first reach for the cookie jar.
While a quarter of people tuck into biscuits at their desk at work, the majority (41 per cent) prefer them while slumped in the sofa watching telly in the evening.
NATION'S TOP 20 BISCUITS
1. Custard Cream
2. Chocolate Digestive
3. Chocolate HobNob
4. Shortbread
5. HobNob
6. Jammy Dodger
7. Chocolate chip cookie
8. Rich tea
9. Bourbon Cream
10. Ginger Nut
11. Chocolate Finger
12. Plain Digestive
13. Wagon wheel
14. Pink Wafer Biscuit
15. Fruit Shortcake
16. Water Biscuit
17. Fig Roll
18. Coconut Ring
19. Garibaldi
20. Party rings
