aMAZEing Biscuits!

These were the biscuits we devoured before entering the maze. I was so busy taking photos the girls even tried to loose me!! Can you believe it :-O 

Linzer Biscuits

Originally, Empire biscuits were called German biscuits or Linzer biscuits.  But because of WWII, it was renamed to Empire biscuits.... Or you might know them similar to Jammy Doggers! 

50g Chopped hazelnuts

225 plain flour

75g Golden caster sugar

150g Butter, diced

Zest of 1/2 lemon

1 Egg yolk

4 tbsp Seedless jam

Sifted Icing sugar

Place the nuts in a food processor and process with half of the sugar from the recipe until finely ground. Set aside.

Put the flour and sugar in a mixing bowl or a food processor. Add the butter and rub in with your fingertips or process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the ground hazelnuts and lemon zest (make sure the lemon zest is nice and fine), then mix in the egg yolk an bring the mixture together with your hands to form a firm dough.

Divide the ball into two and wrap in cling - place in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour (Trust me this will make your life easier!).

Lightly roll out one half of the dough on a lightly floured surface (or even better on the cling film it was wrapped in) until it is around just under 1cm thick. Stamp out 5.5cm circles using fluted round biscuit cutter. Transfer to a parchment covered baking tray. Use a small heart / star shape cutter to remove 2.5cm hearts or stars from the middle of half of the biscuits.

Bake in batches at 160oc for around 10-12 minutes each, or until pale golden brown, then repeat with the remaining dough.

Leave the biscuits to harden on the baking sheets for 2mins once out of the oven. Then transfer to a wire rack to completely cool.

Place all the top halves (with the cutouts) together and sieve icing sugar over the top of them. Put the seedless jam into a small saucepan (you might want to add more jam, it's up to you) and heat slightly so in becomes a bit more runny. Divide the jam evenly between the centers of the base biscuits and spread thickly, leaving a border of the biscuit showing.

Cover with the icing coated top halves, being careful not to mess the icing sugar up too much.

Enjoy!!