What is the equivalent of a graham cracker on this side of the world?

[flobadob]

I saw a cheesecake recipe, New York Cheesecake and it calls for a graham cracker crust. I've heard these mentioned before on American TV shows but thought they were some sort of cereal like cornflakes. In the recipe they look like biscuits. What would be the equivalent over here in Ireland and UK?

[Mamyalynne]

Digestives are our equivalent.

[erin-x]

I usually use digestive biscuits which I think are a good alternative :-)

[flobadob]

Yeah, I have used digestive and ginger nut biscuits as bases before for lemon and bailey's cheesecakes but are you suggesting digestive as an alternative or is it actually the same thing as a graham cracker?

[gingejbee]

As above, the Yanks call digestives "Grahams" - love to know why!

[Mamyalynne]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_cracker

[erin-x]

Is it not just their brand name over there? We could call them McVities crackers but we don't lol :-)

[pastafreak]

Sorry...but as a Yank...I can say they are of a different flavour.....and here is why they are called 'graham'...not just yanks being 'difficult'. ;-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_cracker

[flobadob]

Thanks very much. They look different to digestives to me. Lighter looking or something, like a ryvita perhaps.

[pastafreak]

sorry mamya...your link was not there when I stared to post.

[Mamyalynne]

No need for sorry.

Flob if you must have the real thing - it will cost you.

http://www.americansw...x.asp?function=search

[Mamyalynne]

oops search there and they have them.

[flobadob]

Yes. I think I'll stick to my 39p digestives mamy. Saying that, I every so often think about ordering a box of Twinkies just to see what they are like, but never have gone through with it thusfar.

[heathfield]

Even worse than the present-day Grahams are those 'Oreos', which Kraft have now thrust upon the UK public. Simply awful.

[flobadob]

I don't mind them but couldn't eat too many. We sometimes get them in boxes of 4 packs and I couldn't finish one of the packs myself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-Pt0lTbpgI

[pastafreak]

It's all a matter of taste,heathfield. I grew up with Oreos,and I could still eat 1 or 2 now. I'm sure there are some British biscuits that Americans would find less than appealing. Like fig rolls...hard as a rock...and not like the soft ones I knew.... ;-)

[heathfield]

Agree about the fig rolls, PF. Not as soft as they used to be. The sponge in McVities Jaffa Cakes is also much firmer than it was years ago. As to transatlantic tastes, I won't even mention Hershey's chocolate. Oops! I just did! ;-)

[pastafreak]

Hershy's???


Bleeuuurrgghh! I had it once when I'd been living here in the UK for several years......my eyes watered... ;-(