Editing Dunking (biscuit)

{{Short description|Submersion of solid food in liquid}}
[[File:Dunking a biscuit.jpg|thumb|Dunking a Lotus Biscoff biscuit]]
To '''dunk''' or to '''dip''' a [[biscuit]] or some other food, usually baked goods, means to submerge it into a [[drink]], especially [[tea]], [[coffee (drink)|coffee]], or milk. Dunking releases more flavour from confections by dissolving the sugars,<ref>Lee, Laura. ''The Pocket Encyclopedia of Aggravation''. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal, 2001.</ref> while also softening their texture. Dunking can be used to melt chocolate on biscuits to create a richer flavour.

Dunking is a popular way of enjoying biscuits in many countries. A popular form of dunking in Australia is the "[[Tim Tam]] Slam",  also known as 'tea sucking'.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tea-sucking record attempt|url=http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/news/454762.print/|publisher=Croydon Guardian|accessdate=30 January 2014}}</ref> The [[physics]] of dunking is driven by the porosity of the biscuit and the [[surface tension]] of the beverage. A biscuit is porous and, when dunked, [[capillary action]] draws the liquid into the interstices between the crumbs.<ref name=abc>{{cite web|title=Biscuit Dunking Physics| date=3 February 2000 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2000/02/03/97177.htm?site=science/greatmomentsinscience|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Company|accessdate=30 January 2014}}</ref>

Dunking is first reported with [[Ancient Rome|ancient Romans]] softening their hard unleavened wafers (Latin: ''bis coctum'' – "twice baked") in wine.<ref name=abc /> Modern day dunking has its roots in naval history when, in the 16th century, biscuits known as "[[hardtack|hard tack]]" were on board [[Royal Navy]] ships, which were so hard that the British sailors would dunk them in beer in order to soften them up.<ref>R G Grant (2010). "Battle at Sea: 3000 years of naval warfare". p. 306. Dorling Kindersley Ltd</ref> The most popular biscuit to dunk in tea in the United Kingdom is [[McVitie's]] [[chocolate digestive]].<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/4927255/Chocolate-digestive-is-nations-favourite-dunking-biscuit.html "Chocolate digestive is nation's favourite dunking biscuit"]. The Telegraph. May 2, 2009.</ref> In the US, [[Oreo]]s are frequently dunked in milk, while the [[Dunkin' Donuts]] franchise is named for the practice of dunking [[doughnuts]] into coffee. In South Africa and in India, [[rusk]]s are a popular food for dunking in both tea and coffee. In the [[Netherlands]], [[stroopwafel]]s are commonly dunked in tea or coffee, often after having been set on above the hot drink for a few minutes to melt the caramel inside. In [[Nigeria]], [[bread]] is commonly dunked in tea or hot chocolate, while [[Acarajé]] is dunked in [[pap (food)|pap]].  In [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]] gingernut biscuits are commonly dunked in tea or coffee. most commonly these are [[Arnott's Biscuits|Arnotts]] brand [[Ginger Nuts]].

Dunking is also used as a slang term for [[intinction]]: the [[Eucharist|Eucharistic]] practice of partly dipping the consecrated bread, or host, into the consecrated wine, by the officiant before distributing.

== Etiquette and style ==
While modern day dunking has its origins in 16th century naval history, it wasn't until the 19th century and the emergence of [[afternoon tea]] in the early [[Victorian era]] that [[Great Britain]] began to regard biscuits as something to be dunked in tea, a British [[Convention (norm)|custom]] that was later exported around the globe.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/jun/06/crunch-time-britain-loves-biscuits "Crunch time: why Britain loves a good biscuit"]. The Guardian. Retrieved 30 December 2014</ref> Different cultures have different attitudes toward biscuit dunking. Historically in British high society, dunking was frowned upon and generally seen as children's or [[Working class culture|working class fashion]]. However, [[Queen Victoria]] herself was said to enjoy dunking her biscuits, a German custom from her younger days.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}} In 2007, a [[tea room]] in Brighton, England, banned dunking on its premises.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article2217991.ece|title=It's the scary tea shop: one dunk and you're out|last=Hamilton|first=Alan|date=8 August 2007|work=The Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202222434/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article2217991.ece|archive-date=2 December 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the [[United States]], the act took on a marketing purpose for [[doughnut]] sellers in the 1930s. They formed the [[National Dunking Association]], which prompted members to follow "rules for dunking" and used the association to market their products.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nyti.ms/2kMsdOA|title=National Dunkers to Act; Annual Convention Hopes to Clear Up Doughnut-Cruller Controversy|work=[[New York Times]]|date=1941-10-09|access-date=2017-10-13|language=en}}</ref>

== Science ==
[[File:Dunking Oreo.jpg|thumb|right|200px|An [[Oreo]] cookie dunked into milk.]]
Physicist [[Len Fisher]] of the [[University of Bristol]] presented some light-hearted discussion of dunking on "National Biscuit Dunking Day" in the UK{{when|date=February 2020}}, as part of an attempt to make physics accessible. Fisher appeared to be somewhat taken aback by the large amount of media attention, ascribing it to a "hunger for accessible science".  Fisher also described his astonishment at journalists' interest in one equation used in the field: [[Washburn's equation]], which describes capillary flow in porous materials.  Writing in ''[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]'', he says "the equation was published in almost every major [[United Kingdom|UK]] newspaper.  The journalists who published it took great care to get it right, some telephoning several times to check".<ref>Quotes from ''Nature'' 397, 469; 1999)</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/biscuit-dunking-perfected-1187126.html|title=Biscuit dunking perfected|author=Steve Connor|date=25 November 1998|work=The Independent}}</ref> Fisher was awarded an [[Ig Nobel Prize]] for Physics, in 1999, for his research into biscuit dunking.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/462987.stm |title=Brits take the biscuit |date=4 October 1999 |access-date=19 March 2021 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>

In 2012, Michelin-starred English restaurateur [[Heston Blumenthal]] researched the effect of dunking chocolate biscuits, and concluded that it improved the biscuit's taste. "If you have chocolate on one side, if it melts a bit, you get a velvety smooth texture and then the delicious flavour as a result."<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/9691298/Heston-Blumenthal-biscuits-really-do-taste-better-after-dunking.html "Heston Blumenthal: biscuits really do taste better after dunking"]. The Telegraph.</ref>

In 2022, a comparative study concluded that a [[Hobnob biscuit|hobnob]] style biscuit maintains its integrity for the longest after being dunked in a hot drink.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-64037994 |title=Tea dunking test finds Hobnob-style does the perfect job |date=20 December 2022 |publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Dipping sauce]]
* [[Sop]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{commons category-inline|Food dunking}}

[[Category:Biscuits]]
[[Category:Food and drink culture]]