Recipe - Jammy Biscuits

When days are dull and dreary, there's only one thing to brighten your mood and that's some good old-fashioned baking. In my book the most heart-warming kind includes recipes that reminds you of your childhood. For me that's gooey apple and saltana flapjack (we used to add at least double the golden syrup), simple fairy cakes decorated with crazy faces and jammy biscuits, the ones with a large thumb print in the middle, filled with strawberry jam. 


I remember loving pushing my thumb into each one and dolloping a big spoonful of jam on top. I think my mum liked making them because they are nice and easy and she could leave me to finish them without worrying about me. [And she did have reason to worry, I was so greedy as a child that I once pushed my finger through a metal icing nozzle (one with very sharp 'teeth') to get the last bit of icing out, and then couldn't get my finger back out again. Hours, and many tears, later dad had to saw the nozzle off. I wasn't allowed to ice things after that.]   


I made these biscuits again recently and because I had been bought some lovely edible flowers for my birthday I sprinkled them on top for a nice, grown-up touch. I also used my very own homemade rhubarb jam instead of the traditional strawberry. The best bit about these biscuits is that although I say biscuits they are really a cake-cum-biscuit. Because of the self-raising flour they rise a bit and the final result is soft and chewy.

Jammy biscuits
200g self-raising flour
100g caster sugar
100g butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 tbsp jam - whatever flavour you like best

Heat oven to 190C/gas mark 5. 

Get your hands stuck in and rub the flour, sugar and butter together and then add the egg until the mixture comes together to form a stiff dough. Tip: If you want your jammy biscuits to come out perfectly round then put the dough in the fridge for an hour at this point, if you're not that fussy then read on.

Divide your dough up into even, small balls, remember these will spread and rise slightly and so they will come out bigger than they go in. Place on baking tray and push down, making a small dent with your thumb (or end of wooden spoon if you don't want to use your hands), then drop a teaspoon (or more) of jam in the centre. Bake for 10-15 mins until slightly risen and just golden. 

Perfect at 3pm with a glass of milk.