Jammy thumbprint cookies

These are a great simple sweet treat for the kids and are a breeze to make. They look great filling up a table at a birthday party or at a picnic. They’re surprisingly light and I think of them as like a healthier, less messy jam tart. Which also means you can use any number of jams of your choice as the simplicity of the biscuit really makes the flavour of the jam the star. My preference is raspberry because that zing of tart sweetness works so well with the subtle biscuit, but feel free to use strawberry jam, blackberry or if it’s Christmas, it’s a great way to use up extra cranberry jam.  I prefer to use a seeded jam for that more rustic, homemade look, otherwise they just look like something you picked up in the store and you miss out on all the glory!

Ingredients

• 6¼ ounces / 180g plain flour
• 3 ounces / 90g ground almonds
• ½ teaspoon of baking powder
• 3¾ ounces / 110g unsalted butter, softened
• 5¼ ounces / 150g caster sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3 ounces / 85g seeded raspberry jam (or any jam of your choice)

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C (320°F / 160°C fan). Line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper.

Combine the flour, almonds and baking powder in a bowl.  Set aside.

Combine the butter and caster sugar in a freestanding mixer with a paddle attachment.  Once the mixture is light and fluffy, add the egg and bring together.

Add the dry ingredients to your freestanding mixer and mix well until your dough comes together.

Separate into 18 balls and on the baking sheets, 3 lines of 3 on each, a good distance apart as they do spread.

Using your thumb (see Tips below) press down into the centre of each bowl to create an indentation for the jam and to flatten the dough into a fat pattie.

Add ½ level tsp of the jam into each indent and then place in the oven for 18 minutes.

Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

Tips

Instead of using your thumb to press down the centre of each bowl I use the base of a round tablespoon measure as it’s neater.

Trivia

The average raspberry has 100 to 120 seeds and there are over 200 different varieties in colours ranging from red, purple, gold, and black. The gold ones are the sweetest.