Jammie biscuits recipe

Method

1. Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
2. Sift in the flour, baking powder and ½tsp salt and combine with a spatula to form a soft dough.
3. Divide the dough into two balls and flatten each half into a disc. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 1 hour to firm up.
4. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4, 180°C, fan 160°C and line three large baking sheets with nonstick baking paper. Dust a clean work surface generously with flour, then remove one disc from the fridge and cut it in half (this will make it easier to roll). Roll out one half at a time to around ½cm (¼in) thick. Using a round 7·5cm (3¼in) biscuit cutter, stamp out 10 rounds from each half. Transfer the rounds to the baking trays with a palette knife, leaving a small gap between each one.
5. Using a 6-6·5cm (2½-2¾in) star-shaped biscuit cutter, stamp out star shapes in the middle of half the biscuits. Repeat with the remaining chilled dough to make about 40 biscuits – 20 bases and 20 with stars stamped out. You will need an even number of bases and star-shaped rounds for sandwiching the biscuits.
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly golden. Leave to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. To make the buttercream filling, combine the butter, icing sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat with an electric whisk until light and soft. It may feel a little stiff at first but continue beating and the mixture will eventually come together.
8. To assemble the biscuits, spread a teaspoon of buttercream over the base of each whole biscuit. Top the layer of buttercream with a layer of jam, putting most of the jam in the centre and just a thin covering at the edges. Gently press the stamped-out star biscuits on top and dust with a little icing sugar.

• Tip: To prevent the biscuit cutters sticking to the pastry, dip them in flour before stamping out your shapes.

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• Freezing and defrosting guidelines

  All biscuits are perfect for freezing, you can even freeze the dough and bake your biscuits fresh. Cookie dough makes a lovely gift too. Package your biscuits carefully when they are completely cold and always freeze them on the same day you bake them, they can be frozen for up to 3 months. Or they can be kept in an airtight container for up to a week – After a week they will not be as crisp and the flavour and overall texture won’t be as good, but they are still edible for a day or 2.