By Keighley’s Mike Armstrong, an award-winning master baker with a big passion for baking...

REMEMBER these? I think they have largely gone out of fashion today.

The Garibaldi is one of the oldest biscuits on the block. It was first sold in 1861 by its creator, Carr's – the famous biscuit maker from Carlisle.

The biscuit is named after the man – ''father of the fatherland'' – who played a prominent role in the unification of Italy in the second half of the 1800s, storming across the country in a bid for independence.

I fondly remember him from my school history lessons. I suspect he particularly stuck in my mind because of the biscuit named after him!

The famous Giuseppe Garibaldi visited Britain in 1854, when the whole country rose to greet him – apart from Queen Victoria and the royal family, due to the reaction he provoked amongst workers and trade unions, which worried the Queen.

When the revolutionary sailed into Tyneside, cutting quite a dash and dandy in his red ruffle-fronted silk shirt, poncho sombrero and floppy handkerchief, he was greeted with huge enthusiasm and excitement.

He was so popular some local hotels even made a profit from selling his dirty bath water, and hundreds of Italian cafes and tavern owners renamed their establishments in tribute to Garibaldi.

The Garibaldi biscuit is a flat rectangular shape, with a bottom and top layer of not overly sweet dough sandwiched together with squashed currant filling.

I fondly recall my nana keeping a packet of Garibaldi biscuits on the top shelf of her tea cupboard, which guaranteed interest when we visited her, but to be honest I'd happily put my hand into her biscuit jar and pull out a malted cow biscuit or was it a party ring? However I've come to love Garibaldi biscuits over the years.

They are so easy to make, and have a crisp snap and texture which is eminently suitable for a good dunking in that all important steaming brew of tea! Crumbs of knowledge I know, but this biscuit deserves a comeback! Whilst many of our regional bakes around the country are in danger of vanishing, the indulgent American cookies of this world cannot and will not oust our good old-fashioned biscuits!

RECIPE

GARIBALDI

Ingredients:

110g/4oz plain flour, sifted

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

25g/1oz cold unsalted butter, cubed

25g/1oz caster sugar, plus extra to sprinkle

3 tablespoons milk

1 large egg; use the yolk for the recipe and egg white for glazing

150g/5oz chopped currants or chocolate chips

Zest of half lemon, optional

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas Mark 5 and line a large baking tray with baking paper.

2. Add to a mixing bowl the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt then rub in the butter, to a fine breadcrumb texture.

3. Lightly whisk the egg yolk and milk together, pour into the mixing bowl and gently bring the dough together with your hand.

4. Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes, then roll out the dough into a large rectangle shape using a little flour.

5. Tip the fruit and lemon zest onto one half and spread it out evenly, then fold the other half over the fruit and roll out again into a large rectangle shape.

6. Trim off the sides neatly and cut the dough in half lengthways; cut each strip into 8, so you have 16 biscuits.

7. Transfer onto the baking tray and lightly brush each biscuit with remaining egg white, sprinkle over a little caster sugar and bake for around 12 minutes until deep golden brown.