Tea and biscuits are the perfect combination to be enjoyed with family or friends. Presenting the biscuits on a pretty cake plate when guests arrive will surely impress them more than opening a packet of the store bought variety.
Biscuits can keep for ages, so can be prepared well in advance. The trick is hiding them from the family so they won’t all have disappeared by the time you want to serve them.
Red velvet is trendy and the cream cheese filling is what makes these a real treat.
The jam delights are a classic butter biscuit filled with raspberry jam. Ring the changes and try other flavours like strawberry or apricot jam.
Always sieve out the pips from the jam you use for a professional finish.
RED VELVET BISCUITS
Makes 20-30
160g butter
250ml castor sugar
1 egg
5ml vanilla extract
430ml flour
60ml cocoa powder
15ml red food colouring
3ml vinegar
FILLING
125g butter
250g thick cream cheese
5ml vanilla extract
750ml icing sugar
Cream the butter and castor sugar until very light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat well.
Sift the four and cocoa powder and add to the creamed mixture. Combine the food colouring and vinegar and add. Turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll to 5mm thick and cut out your desired shapes.
Place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and bake at 180ºC for 10-15 minutes until firm to the touch. Allow to cool on the tray.
FILLING
Cream the butter until fluffy. Beat in the cream cheese and beat until well-combined. Add the vanilla and icing sugar and beat until fluffy.
Use the filling to sandwich two biscuits together.
JAM DELIGHTS
Makes 30-40
250g butter
250ml castor sugar
2 extra-large eggs
750ml flour
250ml raspberry jam
Cream the butter and sugar well. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift in the flour, mixing to make stiff dough. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the dough until it is 5mm thick, then press out 7cm circles, rerolling the trimmings as needed.
Next, press out a 2cm circle from the middle of each of half the discs. Put discs on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool for 3 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Warm the jam in the microwave for a minute. Press through a sieve to remove the pips. Return the jam to the microwave and cook on full power for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Remove and cool.
Spread a thin layer of jam on the solid biscuits and top immediately with a biscuit that has the centre cut out. Store in an airtight container.
Sunday Tribune