Sweets for your sweet, sugar for your honey – and delightful Biscuiteers for everyone. Meet the sweet treat that almost looks too good to eat – almost!
When it comes to baking delicious sweet treats, you might think that the ultimate compliment would be to be told that your wares are delicious. For the original founders of Biscuiteers, purveyors of fine biscuits, their mission was of course to create delicious edibles – but also to create biscuits that people talked about. In other words, biscuits that were so exceptional and exquisite in their execution that they elicited “oohs” and “aahs” as well as satisfied “mmmms”. Eight years on, I think we can safely say: Mission Accomplished.
So where did the original inspiration come from? Already co-directors of a leading London catering company, husband and wife team Harriet Hastings and Stevie Congdon were on a trip to New York when they came across bakery boutiques selling delectably decorated biscuits, the like of which they had never seen before. With the cupcake phenomenon already causing culinary excitement, no-one had yet bitten off the challenge of creating haute cookies in the UK.
It sparked a business idea: how about creating an online business where divinely decorated biscuits were bestowed as luxurious gifts for special occasions and celebrations: birthdays, baby showers, Christmas, Thanksgiving… The tagline was soon to become: why send flowers when you can send biscuits instead?
Each biscuit is lovingly handmade, using traditional methods and the finest ingredients, before being individually iced to perfection by what you might call a baking artist. And each tin is a perfect gift for a baby shower, a favourite teacher or a seasonal celebration
Launching their first collection in 2007 in delicate flavours of vanilla, chocolate and allspice, the biscuits, sold in neat prettily decorated tins, were an instant success. By January 2008, Biscuiteers were on sale in Selfridges, one of London’s chicest department stores. Before long, Biscuiteers were also crafting biscuit greeting cards, which were sold in Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, Liberty, Fenwick and John Lewis. Since then, the company has created bespoke bikkies for the likes of Anya Hindmarch, Mulberry, the Conran Shop and the launch of Harvey Nichols 4th Floor.
Biscuiteers opened their first Boutique and Icing Cafe in Notting Hill in 2012, and have just opened their second on Northcote Road in Clapham, aka Nappy Valley. Here, you can peruse delectable displays of biscuits, chocolates and cakes and admire the edible works of art on the wall, including butterfly collections in frames – even the sign for the Loo is made of decorated cookies! They also run master classes where budding Biscuiteers of all ages can master the fine art of icing!
Why? Bisuiteers elevate the humble biscuit to new heights. They taste delicious and look divine!
Outstanding Features More a work of art than mere edibles, there’s something about the witty artistry that always brings a smile.
Best For Anyone with a sweet tooth, who has no qualms about nibbling on a work of art.
What Parents Love OK, so you might find your own homemade creations are greeted with slightly less enthusiasm in comparison, but who could refuse a little token for that special occasion. It might inspire you and yours to get creative in the kitchen too, and it’s the loving effort that counts!
Designer Details Biscuiteers was founded in 2007 by Harriet Harris and Stevie Congdon as a luxury online biscuit boutique, selling biscuit greeting cards and themed tins of iced biscuits. They also have two Boutiques and Icing Cafes in London, where they hold baking master classes for children and adults. Biscuiteers are sold in some of London’s finest stores, as well as at Galeries Lafayette, Colette and La Grande Epicerie in France, Greece and Dubai. They also deliver worldwide.