Tuesday 20 November 2012

Jammie Dodgers (Biscotti alla Marmellata)


I rarely buy biscuits. The long list of ingredients on the side of the packet is enough to put me off and most of them don't taste great either. I make an exception with shortbread - I love it, in all its forms and even the cheapest brands are fairly unadulterated, listing just flour, butter, sugar and salt.

Homemade biscuits however are a completely different proposition. They are a joy, both in taste and to make. There's something very therapeutic about rolling out the dough and then cutting it into pretty shapes, like the star biscuits here. I didn't intend them to be Christmas biscuits, it's just that stars are the only cutters I have with a matching small shape for the open centre. Looking at the photo, I realise that the shape, together with the raspberry red middle, makes them look very festive indeed. I'll certainly be baking these again nearer to Christmas.

This recipe comes from Pam Corbin writing in The Guardian but it is originally from the River Cottage Handbook: Cakes by Pam Corbin. It is similar to shortbread but with the addition of an egg yolk which makes the dough more pliable and the biscuits hold their shape better too. 

As this month's letter is 'J' in the brilliant Alphabakes challenge by Caroline at Caroline Makes (this month's host) and Ros from TheMoreThanOccasionalBaker, I'm sending this as my entry. I always enjoy seeing what everyone comes up with for this imaginative challenge!



RECIPE (from River Cottage Handbook: Cakes by Pam Corbin)  - Makes 6-7

175g plain flour
Pinch of sea salt
75g icing sugar
125g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
150g raspberry jam (or whatever flavour you like)


2 large baking sheets, lined with baking parchment
6–7cm biscuit cutter
2.5cm heart, square, round or animal biscuit cutter

Sift the flour, salt and icing sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and lightly rub into the flour mix, using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk and vanilla extract together. Make a well in the centre of the flour mix. Add the egg and vanilla mix and work together to form a soft, smooth dough. Seal the dough in a polythene bag and chill in the fridge for 25–30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Place one portion between two pieces of lightly floured greaseproof paper and, using a rolling pin, roll the dough to approximately a 4mm thickness. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Remove the top paper


With the larger biscuit cutter, cut the dough into discs (make sure you have an even number). Using the smaller cutter, cut out and remove the centre of half the biscuit discs; the cut-out pieces can either be kneaded back into the remaining dough or baked just as they are.

Place all the discs on the baking sheets. Bake for 15–20 minutes until just firm and barely coloured.

Remove from the oven and place a teaspoonful of jam in the centre of each whole biscuit. Spread to 1.5cm from the edge. Place the cut-out rounds on top. Return to the oven and cook for a further 5–6 minutes by which time the biscuits will be evenly cooked and the jam sufficiently hot to stick the biscuits together.

Leave the biscuits to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.



17 comments:

  1. Yay! I love Jammie Dodgers - reminds me of my childhood :-) Although yours look far superior to the ones I used to have.
    Being Scottish - I'm with you all the way when it comes to shortbread :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They do take you back don't they? But these taste so much better!

      Delete
  2. Yes! Wonderful biscuits and so much better than shop bought too! I hadn't got around to my alphabakes yet, still have tea time treats to do too.......not enough hours in the day! I love your festive star jammy dodgers - I also love shortbread too! Karen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think I've ever met anyone who doesn't like shortbread - I always take it to Italy for friends and family!

      Delete
  3. You can't beat a jammie dodger. Yours look just perfect to me.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great use of jam! Yum!
    I'm starting a blog party called Pantry Party. I'm hoping you'll be able to join! http://lawstudentscookbook.wordpress.com/2012/11/27/introducing-pantry-party/

    ReplyDelete
  5. These are so pretty and really festive, they would make great Christmas gifts! Thanks for entering Alphabakes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I did think about using them as gifts but they tasted too good - I'm afraid we finished the lot!

      Delete
  6. Oh they do look beautiful and very festive too. Pam's book is an excellent one. I've tried several of her recipes, but not this one - yet!

    I too love shortbread, but do always read the ingredients list when I buy it as a surprising number do stick vegetable fat in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love Pam's recipes too and can't wait to try some more.
      Thanks for the tip about shortbread ingredients!

      Delete
  7. Gorgeous Christmas biscuits! I'm making my batch if Christmas cookies this weekend x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love baking cookies for Christmas - they're so easy but so satisfying!

      Delete
  8. Very tasty and crispy Christmas biscuit. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So glad you like them, thanks for popping by!

      Delete
  9. I just popped over to wish you a very happy New Year! Love Karen xxxx

    ReplyDelete