Jammy Dodger Flowers Food

FESTIVE JAMMIE DODGERS

Steps:

• Put the butter, sugar, flour and almonds into a food processor and whizz until the mixture just comes together and forms a ball. If making by hand, first beat together the butter and sugar, then add the flour and ground almonds. Wrap in cling film and leave in the fridge for at least 1 hr.
• Remove the dough from the fridge and knead until it is soft enough to shape and roll. Divide into two even-size balls. Sprinkle a little plain flour over your work surface and roll out one ball of pastry. I find it best to start the rolling myself so that it's even, then let the kids finish it off. The dough should be approximately 5mm thick. Using a star cutter (about 6cm wide) dipped in a little flour to stop it from sticking, cut out as many star shapes as you can. Then lightly knead the dough trimmings together and roll out again. Keep going until you have about 24 stars. Carefully place the stars on a baking sheet, making sure you keep them slightly apart.
• Roll out the second ball of dough the same way. Cut out the same-size stars and place them on a baking sheet. Now cut out a small circle in the centre of each biscuit using a small cookie cutter or the end of a large piping nozzle.
• Heat oven to 140C/fan 120C/gas 1 and cook the biscuits for 20-30 mins until just golden. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Place a blob of jam onto the centre of the biscuits without the cut-out circle. Be generous - you want the jam to show at the edges as well as the centre. Place the top halves of the biscuits on and push down gently. These will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

LEMON SHERBET JAMMY DODGERS

Steps:

• In a food processor, whizz the butter, flour and a pinch of salt until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and lemon zest and whizz again. Add the lemon juice and egg yolk and blend until clumps of dough form around the blades. Keep blending, using the pulse button, until larger balls of dough have formed. Tip out the mixture onto a work surface and knead briefly to bring it together in a smooth ball - don't overwork it or it will be tough. Cut the dough into 2 equal pieces and pat into flat discs, then wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 mins. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment.
• Remove the dough from the fridge 15 mins before you're ready to roll it. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Unwrap 1 piece of dough and roll it out to the thickness of a 50p piece. Use a 6cm cutter to stamp out discs (you should get about 15) and transfer to a baking sheet using a palette knife.
• Unwrap and roll out the remaining dough to the same thickness. Stamp out 15 discs and transfer to the second baking sheet. Use a small round cutter (about 1cm) or the end of a piping nozzle to stamp holes from the middle of 15 of the biscuits. Loosely cover the trays with cling film and chill for 15 mins. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Bake the biscuits for 15 mins, swapping the trays over halfway through. Remove from the oven, leave to cool for 5 mins, then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the filling. Place the butter, sugar and half the lemon curd in a bowl. Mash together, then blend with an electric hand whisk. Transfer to a piping bag and snip off the end, making a 1cm opening. Place the remaining lemon curd in another piping bag and snip off the end to make a slightly smaller hole. Dust a little sherbet over the biscuits with a hole in the centre.
• Pipe blobs of lemon filling in a ring shape onto each whole biscuit, leaving space in the centre to fill with lemon curd. Fill the middles, then sandwich a sherbet-dusted biscuit on top of each one. Store in a biscuit tin for 3 days.

JAMMY DODGERS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in egg yolk, water and extract until mixture forms a ball. , On a lightly floured sheet of parchment, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Transfer dough and paper to a baking sheet; refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes. Cut with a lightly floured 2-1/2-in. round cookie cutter. Using a floured 1-in. round cookie cutter, cut out centers of half of the cookies. Place solid and window cookies 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. , Bake at 325° until edges are lightly browned, 15-20 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Dust window cookies with confectioners' sugar. Spread 2 teaspoons jam on bottoms of solid cookies; top with window cookies.