Hosts putting out a small plate
An ordinary packet lets you serve the number of custard creams you want alongside the rest of the cream tea. Follow the pack’s directions for any biscuits left after opening.
Who is each format for?
The useful distinction for a cream tea is whether you will plate biscuits yourself or hand each guest a separate packet.
Hosts serving guests separately
Individual packets make the biscuit count predictable. Hill Biscuits specifies three custard creams per packet in its single-variety case, but the case contains 48 packets, so check whether that quantity fits your gathering.
Hosts checking dietary requirements
Compare the exact product’s ingredients and labelling with each guest’s requirements. Asda lists wheat and milk in its standard custard creams, while its Free From product and the separately listed Schär gluten-free portions are distinct products.
What should you check before choosing?
Start with the serving format, then count the custard-cream portions you can use and check the label for the people you are serving.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of ‘mini’ | Check biscuits per inner packet separately from the physical size of each biscuit. Hill Biscuits specifies three biscuits per portion packet; outer-pack weight alone does not give individual dimensions. | I want a small serving beside scones and tea. If the biscuits themselves must be bite-size, I need an explicit individual-biscuit size before choosing. |
| Usable portions | Count custard-cream packets, not just all packets in a case. Hill Biscuits specifies 48 three-biscuit packets in its custard-cream-only case, but 20 custard-cream packets among 100 assorted packets. | For a larger gathering, I need enough portions of the biscuit guests will actually be offered, particularly if the table has several varieties. |
| Ingredients | Read the supplied product’s ingredient and allergen information. Asda lists wheat and milk for its standard 400 g custard creams; its 125 g Free From product is separately labelled gluten- and milk-free. Asda lists Schär’s five two-biscuit packs as gluten-free. | If I am serving someone with a particular dietary requirement, I need to check the exact packet rather than assume that different custard creams use the same recipe. |
| Leftovers | Check whether you can open portions separately and follow the ordinary pack’s storage instructions. Tesco says to keep its custard creams in an airtight container once opened. | When the cream tea is small, I would rather open only the biscuits being served and store any opened remainder as directed. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Assuming a mini pack contains miniature biscuits
Hill Biscuits’ mini-pack descriptions give packet contents, not reduced dimensions for each custard cream. A smaller serving and a physically smaller biscuit are different requirements.
If biscuit size matters for your presentation, check an explicit individual-biscuit measurement. Otherwise, compare the number of biscuits in each serving.
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Counting every assorted packet as custard creams
Hill Biscuits specifies 100 packets in its mixed case, but only 20 are custard-cream packets. The other varieties cannot be counted as custard-cream servings.
Work from the custard-cream packet count when deciding whether the assortment meets your guest numbers.
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Treating every custard cream as the same recipe
Asda’s standard custard creams list wheat and milk, while separately listed Free From and gluten-free products carry different labelling. A similar biscuit name does not establish the same ingredients.
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the supplied packet against each guest’s requirements before serving.
Relevant brands and product lines
These examples illustrate different pack formats and recipes; the brand name alone does not tell you whether a biscuit is individually portioned or physically small.
Hill Biscuits
Foodservice cases for serving biscuits in separate packets.
- Hill Biscuits specifies 48 packets of three custard creams in its single-variety case, or 20 custard-cream packets within a 100-packet assortment.
- Those are case and serving counts, not measurements showing that the individual biscuits are miniature.
McVitie's
A conventional packet for plating your own servings.
- Morrisons lists McVitie's Tasties Custard Creams in a 300 g packet.
- The packet description does not establish individual portions or bite-size biscuits.
Crawford's
A conventional custard-cream packet where separate servings are not required.
- Tesco lists a 300 g packet and gives nutrition information per 11.9 g biscuit.
- Nutrition stated per biscuit is not a claim that the biscuits come in individual serving packets.
Tesco
Own-label custard creams for a shared plate.
- Tesco specifies a 400 g packet and instructs customers to use an airtight container once it has been opened.
- The outer-pack weight does not establish the size of an individual biscuit.
Sainsbury's
A 200 g own-label packet for hosts plating biscuits themselves.
- Sainsbury's describes approximately 16 servings per pack.
- A serving count does not establish bite-size biscuits or separate inner packets.
Asda
Standard custard creams and a separately listed Free From product.
- Asda lists a 400 g standard product containing wheat and milk, and a distinct 125 g Free From product labelled gluten- and milk-free.
- The two products should not be treated as the same recipe or assumed to have the same serving format.
M&S
A 165 g extra-cream packet for a shared biscuit plate.
- M&S describes its Extra Cream Custard Creams as having more vanilla cream.
- The recipe description and pack weight do not establish individual portions or miniature biscuit dimensions.
Schär
A gluten-free custard cream sold in individual portion packs.
- Asda lists the 125 g product as five packs containing two biscuits each.
- The portion count does not establish that each biscuit is bite-size; check the supplied label for other dietary requirements.
Custard creams on Joybuy
This individually portioned gluten-free option is relevant when serving a small biscuit portion to a guest whose requirements match the supplied pack’s labelling.
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Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125 g
For separately served biscuits, Asda describes this Schär product as five individual packs with two custard creams in each. It is labelled gluten-free; the portion format does not establish that the biscuits themselves are bite-size. Check the supplied pack against any other dietary requirements.
Questions about serving custard creams
Do mini packs contain miniature custard creams?
Not necessarily. Hill Biscuits specifies three biscuits per packet for its custard-cream portion product, but that count does not tell you the dimensions of each biscuit. Check an explicit size specification if you need a physically smaller biscuit.
Should I serve custard creams in their packets or on a plate?
Either format can work for a cream tea. Individual packets give guests a stated biscuit count; with an ordinary packet, you can open it and plate the number you intend to serve. Check the quantity in a foodservice case before choosing it for a small gathering.
How should I store an opened packet?
Follow the directions for the product you have bought. Tesco instructs customers to keep its custard creams in a cool, dry place and to use an airtight container once the packet is opened.
Can I assume all custard creams have the same ingredients?
No. Asda lists wheat and milk in its standard custard creams but labels its separate Free From product gluten- and milk-free; the listed Schär portions are gluten-free. Check the supplied packet’s full ingredient and allergen information for each guest’s requirements.