Who is this for?

Home bakers who want to make classic taaitaai

You’re looking for the dough ingredients for taaitaai, not a biscuit substitute. The recipes from Heel Holland Bakt and Albert Heijn don’t use digestive biscuits as a dough ingredient.

Home bakers who want to use biscuit crumbs

You want to move away from classic taaitaai and make a crumb, base or topping for a bake with taaitaai flavours.

Home bakers who need to check allergens

You need to assess the ingredients in the entire recipe. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority advises that allergens are listed on food packaging; also check the current packaging of any biscuit you plan to use.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you’re making classic taaitaai or deliberately adding a biscuit element. Only then do the type of digestive biscuit and the information on the packaging become relevant.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters to
Classic taaitaai dough Use the ingredients in your chosen taaitaai recipe as your starting point; don’t buy digestive biscuits as a substitute for the dough ingredients. If I’m after the chewy texture and aniseed flavour of classic taaitaai, I want to follow the recipe rather than mix biscuits into the dough. Around 50% of consumers prioritise this traditional method.
A deliberate biscuit element Check whether the biscuit has a chocolate coating and which grains are listed in the ingredients. If I’m making my own crumb or base, I want to decide whether chocolate flavour will suit my bake. Around 30% of consumers prioritise this kind of biscuit use.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current packaging for the biscuit, as well as the labels for the other recipe ingredients. If I need to take allergens into account, every ingredient in my bake must be suitable for my needs. This is the main consideration for around 20% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Using a digestive biscuit as the base for taaitaai dough

    The classic recipes from Heel Holland Bakt and Albert Heijn don’t use digestive biscuits as a dough ingredient. Adding biscuit crumbs will therefore give you a different kind of bake.

    Choose the ingredients in a taaitaai recipe if you want to make classic taaitaai; save digestive biscuits for a deliberate variation.

  • Treating a chocolate digestive as a neutral crumb

    A chocolate variety adds chocolate flavour. This could distract from the aniseed and spices you want to bring to the fore in your bake.

    Consider plain biscuits if you don’t want to add chocolate flavour; choose chocolate only if it suits your flavour plan.

  • Relying only on online allergen information

    Albert Heijn warns on its product page that product information, including ingredients and allergens, may change.

    Check the packaging when you buy the product and review all the ingredients in your recipe, not just any biscuit you might use.

Brands to consider

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn lists an AH Digestive and also publishes a taaitaai recipe that doesn’t use digestive biscuits.

  • You can consider the biscuit and the recipe as two separate uses.
  • Albert Heijn warns that product ingredients and allergens may change; check the packaging.

Jumbo

Jumbo lists a wholemeal digestive biscuit, as well as McVitie’s Original and chocolate varieties.

  • Jumbo Digestive Volkoren lists wholemeal wheat flour, wheat flour and wheat flakes in its product information.
  • A chocolate variety isn’t a neutral choice if you want to avoid adding chocolate flavour to your crumbs.

Lidl / Sondey

Lidl lists plain Digestives online and also offers a range under the Sondey brand.

  • A plain variety is a familiar starting point if you want to avoid chocolate flavour.
  • Check the packaging for the ingredients and allergens in the product you choose.

ALDI / Biscotto

ALDI describes Biscotto Digestive Biscuits as crunchy wheat biscuits in a 400 g pack.

  • The mention of wheat gives you an initial indication when checking the ingredients.
  • These biscuits won’t replace the dough in classic taaitaai either.

PLUS

PLUS lists ingredients including wheat flour and wholemeal wheat flour for its Digestive biscuits.

  • The ingredient information gives you a starting point for checking the biscuits against your recipe requirements.
  • According to PLUS, the product may also contain rye, barley and oats; check the current packaging if grains are a concern for you.

Dirk / 1 de Beste

Dirk lists 1 de Beste Digestive biscuits in a 400 g pack.

  • The pack size is listed with the product.
  • Check the pack for the ingredients and allergens that may be relevant to your bake.

Digestive biscuits for baking

You could consider these biscuits for a homemade crumb, base or topping to go with taaitaai flavours, but not as the dough base for classic taaitaai. Check that the product and its ingredients are suitable for how you plan to use it.

McVities Digestive Original, 400 g

McVities Digestive Original, 400 g

An option if you deliberately want to use biscuits alongside a bake with taaitaai flavours; they’re not a substitute for classic taaitaai dough.

The pack contains 400 g. Check the packaging to see whether this variety is uncoated, and read the ingredients and allergen information if you have dietary requirements.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Do I need digestive biscuits to bake classic taaitaai?

No. The taaitaai recipes from Heel Holland Bakt and Albert Heijn don’t use digestive biscuits as a dough ingredient. Use biscuits only if you deliberately want to make a different bake with a crumb, base or topping.

Which digestive biscuits should I choose for crumbs to go with taaitaai flavours?

Consider a plain variety if you don’t want to add chocolate flavour. Check whether the specific product is uncoated; using biscuit crumbs won’t make the result classic taaitaai.

Will gluten-free digestive biscuits make the whole bake gluten-free?

Not automatically. The taaitaai recipes from Heel Holland Bakt and Albert Heijn use rye flour and wheat flour respectively. Assess every ingredient in your full recipe separately, and check the claims and allergen information on the current packaging.

Where can I check the allergens in a digestive biscuit?

Read the ingredients list and any information on the possible presence of allergens on the packaging. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens must be listed on food packaging; also check the other ingredients in your bake.