Recipe: Empire Biscuits

Yesterday I decided to make Empire Biscuits. Which I haven't done since my Masters when we were asked to bring in a traditional dish from our country of origin. This was my contribution, though apparently, despite being a very Scottish treat, they're originally German and were called Linzer biscuits, then German biscuits and then at the out-break of the First World War, they were rechristened Empire Biscuits.

Learn something new every day.

This, however, is based on my granny Betty's recipe, which has always been one of my favourites. Plus I got to use jam I made last year and gluten free flour because my little sister's avoiding wheat for a while. Which, actually makes very light cakes.

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Ingredients:

6oz butter (or margarine if you prefer)

2oz icing sugar

2oz corn flour

2oz plain flour

Method:

Cream together the butter and sugar, then mix in the cornflour and then the flour. Start off using the back of a wooden spoon, then once the last of the flour is added switch to using your hand, it's easier to get it to form your dough that way. Once it's smooth and not sticky, wrap it in cling film and put it in the fridge to firm up for five to ten minutes, this will stop the biscuits spreading as much.

Roll out the dough onto a floured work top to a thickness of approximately 5mm (half a cm). I'd go for the thinner side because you'll sandwich the biscuits together. Then I used a 48mm cookie cutter, which is the smallest I have in my set, to cut lots of rounds. The number you get depends on the thickness of your dough, I got 20, but just make sure you have an even number - though an extra is useful, just in case one broke or burnt. Lay them on a baking paper lined tray with a centimetre or so between each.

Place the tray in a preheated oven at 180C until they're golden around the edges. The recipe says 15-20 minutes, but mine were in for 12 as our over runs hot, but even that was a little long. I'd recommend cooking them for ten minutes, then checking as they go from under to over within seconds.

While they cool, make water icing. Mix approximately 3oz of icing sugar and two teaspoons of milk stirred together to make a smooth, slightly thick paste. I didn't measure it properly, but just add more sugar and/or milk until you get the right consistency.

Once the biscuits have cooled down, sandwich them with a little jam in the middle and put a small puddle of water icing on the top, then before the icing sets, finish with a Jelly-tot or glacé cherry.

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They're yummy. One problem when it came to taking a photo for sharing though...Misty.

Yep, apparently Empire Biscuits are like crack to my dotty old cat. Who went from asleep to wide awake within seconds of realising there was a plate nearby. This is seconds before she lunged at the plate in a bid to give my biscuits a try. Also seconds before I pulled it back and almost dropped them all. Not clever.

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Listening: Arctic Monkeys - Black Treacle