Tim Tams are named after a Kentucky Derby-winning racehorse, and the way most people eat them wasn't part of the original plan either.
An Australian biscuit named after a Kentucky Derby winner
Arnott's launched Tim Tams in Australia in 1964, naming the new chocolate biscuit after Tim Tam, the horse that had won the Kentucky Derby in 1958. The biscuit itself is built from two malted layers with a chocolate cream filling, coated entirely in a chocolate shell.
The Tim Tam Slam
The biscuit's structure is exactly what makes the Tim Tam Slam possible: bite off two diagonally opposite corners, dip one end into a hot drink, and use the biscuit itself as a straw. The chocolate coating and biscuit soften almost immediately, giving you only a few seconds to drink through it and eat the whole thing before it collapses.
Beyond the original
Arnott's has expanded well past the original recipe over the years, with Double Coat (an extra layer of chocolate), White, Dark and Caramel among the better-known variants sold both in Australia and abroad.
Growing popularity in the UK
Tim Tams have moved from a niche import to a regular fixture on UK supermarket shelves, with demand driven partly by the Australian expat community and partly by a broader UK appetite for international chocolate biscuits, sitting comfortably alongside other imported treats in our chocolate collection.
Frequently asked questions
Why are Tim Tams named after a horse?
Tim Tam is named after the racehorse that won the 1958 Kentucky Derby. Arnott's, the Australian biscuit maker behind the product, named the new biscuit after the horse when it launched in 1964.
What is a Tim Tam Slam?
It's a way of eating the biscuit rather than just biting into it: you bite off two diagonally opposite corners, dip one end into a hot drink like tea or coffee, and use the biscuit as a straw to suck the liquid through before eating it quickly, the biscuit only holds together for a few seconds once it's soaked through.
Are Tim Tams available in the UK?
Yes. Tim Tams are imported and stocked by a number of UK supermarkets, and demand has grown steadily, helped by Australian expats and a wider appetite for international snack brands.