Start with the number or weight of custard creams your recipe requires. A plain 400g pack gives you more biscuit in one pack than the listed 300g or 200g options, but a recipe using only a few may leave plenty unused. Check the filling style and the supplied pack’s ingredients and allergens before substituting a different variety.
If a recipe calls for many biscuits, or you are planning several bakes, compare its required quantity with the pack’s net weight. Tesco Real Food’s cheesecake recipe, for example, uses six crushed custard creams as a topping—not a whole family pack.
When you need only a few biscuits, compare the recipe quantity with a smaller plain pack, such as Sainsbury’s listed 200g option, before opening a larger one.
Check the supplied biscuit label and every other ingredient in the finished bake. The cited standard custard creams contain wheat and milk; Morrisons also lists a separate 125g gluten- and milk-free version.
Work out the recipe quantity first, then check whether the biscuit variety and its supplied label suit the bake.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Pack quantity | Check the recipe’s biscuit count or weight, the pack’s net weight and whether you need more than one pack. The cited plain packs include 200g and 400g sizes. | I’m baking a large batch or several desserts, so I need enough biscuits without opening an unnecessary extra pack. |
| Biscuit style | Check whether the recipe calls for plain custard creams or a particular filling style. M&S describes its 165g Extra Cream variety as having more vanilla cream. | For a recipe calling simply for custard creams, I want to decide whether a plain biscuit or a more prominent filling is appropriate. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the supplied pack’s ingredients and allergen information, and check the other recipe ingredients. A separately labelled gluten- and milk-free biscuit is not the same product as a standard pack. | If someone eating the bake must avoid an ingredient, I need to check the exact biscuits and everything else going into it. |
| Leftovers | Check the pack’s storage directions before planning to keep unused biscuits. The cited plain Tesco, ASDA and Morrisons listings direct shoppers to use an airtight container after opening. | I may use only part of the pack and want to follow its directions for the rest. |
The cited packs range from 165g to 400g. A topping needing a few biscuits and a bake needing a larger quantity call for different pack calculations.
Check the recipe’s quantity, then work out how many whole packs of the chosen biscuit you need.
A pack that is too small can mean opening another; a larger one can leave unused biscuits.
M&S describes an extra-cream variety, while the cited standard and free-from products have different ingredient declarations and pack sizes.
Match the exact variety to the recipe, and check the supplied label for everyone who will eat the finished bake.
These are examples of listed varieties and pack sizes, not a claim that a brand’s whole range has the same ingredients.
Tesco lists plain custard cream biscuits in a 400g pack.
ASDA lists plain custard creams in a 400g pack.
Sainsbury’s lists plain custard creams in a 200g pack.
McVitie’s Tasties Custard Creams are listed in a 300g pack.
Iceland Foods lists Crawford’s Custard Creams Sandwich Biscuits in a 300g pack.
M&S lists Extra Cream Custard Creams in a 165g pack.
Morrisons lists a plain 400g custard cream and a separate 125g gluten- and milk-free variety.
This 125g gluten-free custard cream is an option to consider for a recipe needing a smaller quantity; check its supplied label against your ingredient requirements.
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For a recipe using custard creams where a gluten-free biscuit is needed, this is a 125g pack. Check the supplied label and all other recipe ingredients; a larger bake may require more than one pack.
Not necessarily. A Tesco Real Food cheesecake recipe calls for six crushed custard creams as a topping; use your own recipe’s quantity to choose the pack size.
Follow the supplied pack’s storage directions. The cited plain Tesco, ASDA and Morrisons listings direct shoppers to keep biscuits in an airtight container after opening.
The cited standard packs declare wheat and milk. Morrisons lists a separate gluten- and milk-free variety, but check its supplied label and every other ingredient before using it in a bake for someone with an allergy.