We had a request for making "those biscuits that have got the big puddle of jam in the middle"... and happened to have a whole lot of redcurrants in the freezer in need of using up (before the next lot ripen and get to sit in the freezer... unless we can persuade more people to accept some this year...).
So here we have, in honour of Alice in Wonderland, jam tarts we think the Queen of Hearts would be very proud to have made.
These are BIG because they're made with self raising flour. Also because we love biscuits. We like how fluffy and almost cake-like they are- but if you want them to be a bit more like a normal biscuit jammy dodger, use plain flour.
Ingredients (makes about 15)
For the biscuit dough:
300g flour (self raising or plain- see explanation above)
250g margarine or butter
140g sugar (white or golden- or change the spices and use brown- this recipe is flexible)
1tsp vanilla (or other spices as you wish)
1 egg or equivalent in egg replacer (we use egg replacer for a vegan recipe)
Extra flour for rolling out
For the jam:
250g fruit - we used frozen redcurrants, but any fresh or frozen soft fruit or frozen fruit mix would work - apples or pears would also be nice but would give a very different result.
250g sugar
You can, of course, just use ready made jam if you don't have any suitable fruit handy...
You will also need
A mixing bowl
A bowl or tub with a lid to put in the fridge
A wooden spoon
A dessert spoon
Weighing scales
Baking sheets or other handy metal trays, greased with margarine or oil
A large round cookie cutter or a mug
A small round cookie cutter or a small beaker/egg cup or similar
A rolling pin or round bottle- or you can just squash this dough with your hands (the preferred option of some of our mini chefs...)
A microwave-proof dish with a lid or suitable plate to cover
Oven gloves
A small cup or bowl of water
If sieving jam fruit, a sieve, metal or wooden spoon and a bowl to fit the sieve into (this can be your microwave proof dish)
Method
For the biscuit dough
If using butter or hard margarine, soften it a little in the microwave or by leaving out of the fridge for 30 mins or so before beginning.
Put all the ingredients in your mixing bowl and squidge together with clean hands until you have a sticky ball of dough. Put it in your fridge bowl or tub and chill for at least an hour.
While the dough is chilling, make the jam:
For the jam
Microwave the fruit in a covered dish for a few minutes at a time, until it is soft and very hot (use the oven gloves!).
If your fruit is very seedy or still had stalks on (ours was frozen stalky redcurrants), pour the fruit into a sieve over a bowl and stir vigorously to push the fruit pulp through into the bowl, leaving all the bits you don't want to eat behind in the sieve.
Stir the sugar into the fruit pulp, and microwave again for 4-5 minutes.
Remove from microwave- your jam is ready!
With most fruits, this will probably give you a jam that will set as it cools. Don't worry if it doesn't- cooking the jammy dodgers will turn even really runny jam into rubber- and if you have leftovers that are a bit runny, you can always microwave it a little longer so that it sets, then pop it in a jar to eat on toast- or top up the jammy dodgers...
Putting together the jammy dodgers
Roll or squish out the dough to about 5mm thick, using some extra flour to prevent sticking (this is a very soft dough which can be piped or rolled).
Use the large cutter/mug to cut as many big circles as you can from the dough
Use the small cutter to cut out the middle of half of the big circles, leaving a ring of dough.
Put the big circles onto a greased baking tray
Dip your fingers in the cup of water and wet the top of a big circle
Lift one of the rings of dough onto the big circle and gently press down to make a shallow sealed "cup" of dough
Repeat for the rest of the cut dough shapes.
Gather up the dough scraps, reroll and repeat the above steps to make as many dough cups as you can.
Spoon as much hot jam into each dough cup as you are able without spilling (or add a big spoon of ready made jam to each jammy dodger)
Bake at 180 degrees for about 12 minutes: the biscuits will not brown and will still be soft. They will harden as they cool.
Enjoy warm or cold- warm, they go very nicely with icecream as an indulgent pudding!
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