Hardtack

Hard cookies are cookies that are durable for years hard and relatively unbreakable and suitable for storage. They tend to be made ​​from a relative to other Kekssorten fat, low-sugar dough, the so-called Hartkeksteig, the rolled before baking gouged, and is intensively gestippt ( provided with small punctures ) to avoid bubble formation. The taste is hard biscuits best compared with Leibniz or double biscuits that are baked also Hartkeksteig; However, they are harder.

Due to their long durability you count hard biscuits to dry baked goods. They have a very low water content and are not susceptible to microbial spoilage in general. As a cost -effective, good storage and transportable pastries they are used in the armed forces of many countries for field rations, but are also daily hikes, or for other civilian purposes.

History

Even in the Roman Empire there was a " Panis militaris ", which served as a durable food to the soldiers as viaticum. By repeatedly cheeks (hence the term " biscuit " ), the water content was reduced. Preserved pastry goods of that kind also found as a ship's provisions were using and biscuit or hard bread called. From the 17th to mid-19th century it was preferably made from rye flour, then during the use of wheat flour was common.

Today's use

Many armed forces use hard biscuits for providing food to the soldiers. When the Bundeswehr Crunch snaps is included in the one-man packs in packs of 125 g. It is rectangular with approximate dimensions of 4 cm × 5 cm × 0.5 cm.

The light brown, unadorned and slightly sweet -tasting hard biscuits are long lasting in its airtight packaging. Packages which have drawn air, spoil quite quickly and the cookies get an unpleasant smell of rancid fat. Because of their hardness, they are best eaten dipped in warm tea or coffee.

In the commercial sector hard biscuits are used as food while trekking.