Annas

Annas comes from Sweden, where its pepparkakor, spiced ginger thins, are set out at Christmas with mulled wine and eaten all year with coffee. The packs state that the original recipe has been baked since 1929, and the biscuits are still rolled so thin that the edges are almost translucent. The flavour is warm and gently peppery, with cinnamon and cloves behind the ginger.

On our shelves Annas sits with the sweet biscuits in the biscuits and cookies section of snacks and noodles. Beside the classic ginger thins we carry the almond, orange and cappuccino flavours, all in the same round, flat shape and the same firm box that keeps such fine biscuits from breaking in the cupboard.

The ginger thins belong to fika, the Swedish mid afternoon coffee break, and to the festive table, where they are eaten with a soft blue cheese or a slice of brie on top. The orange thins crush well over ice cream or into a cheesecake base, the almond ones suit a cup of black tea, and the cappuccino flavour sits happily beside an espresso. They also go well with masala chai, where the ginger and cinnamon meet the same spices in the cup.

Keep the box closed in a cool, dry cupboard, and once it is open tip any leftovers into an airtight tin so they keep their snap. For more crisp biscuits to serve with a hot drink, browse cookies and wafers, or choose something from our coffee shelf.