BIS′CUIT

(-kĭt). [Eng., Fr.] Syn. Buccella′tum , Pa′nis bis coc′tus , L.; Swieback , Ger.; Biscotto , It.; Bizcocho , Sp. Literally, ‘twice-baked,’ appr., a well-known variety of hard, dry, unleavened bread, made in thin flat pieces. Those prepared for seamen ( SEA′-BISCUITS , CAP′TAIN’S B. [179] ) are composed of flour and water only. When made of fine flour and a few caraway seeds are added, they are commonly called Ab′erne′thy biscuits . Fancy biscuits generally contain a little sugar and butter, to which almonds, caraways, mace, ginger, lemon, and other articles, technically called ‘flavourings,’ are frequently added. [179] A captain’s biscuit differs from a common ‘sea biscuit’ in being made of finer flour. Prep. On the small scale, biscuits are made by forming the flour and water into a dough by the common proce of hand-kneading, occasionally a isted with a lever, as in making ordinary bread. The dough is then rolled into a sheet, and cut into pieces of the desired size and form. These, after being stamped, are exposed to the heat of a moderately quick oven, when a few minutes (12 to 18, according to their size) are sufficient to bake them. On the large scale, the whole manual proce , from preparing the dough to the point at which the newly-made biscuits are ready for baking is now generally performed by machinery. The articles so prepared are commonly known in trade as ‘ MACHINE-MADE BISCUITS ,’ and are not only much cheaper, but of fully equal quality to those ‘made by hand.’ In the bakehouses of her Majesty’s Victualling Yards at Deptford, Gosport, and Plymouth, the ingenious machinery invented by Mr T. T. Grant is employed. These establishments are said to be capable of producing annually above 8000 tons of sea-biscuits, at a saving of upwards of 12,000 l. a year, from the cost that would have been incurred for the purpose on the old system. Under the latter it is stated that wages, and wear and tear of utensils, cost about 1 s. 6 d. per cwt. of biscuit; whilst under the new system the cost is only 5 d. The allowance of biscuit to each seaman in the royal navy is 1 lb. per day; or, on the average, six biscuits.