RECIPE: Jammy thumbprint biscuits

There is nothing better than tea and biscuits on a Sunday afternoon... and that jammy goodness adds such decadance!  With Christmas coming up, pop them in a glass jar with a ribbon as a  tastey gift! They are so quick and easy to make....

Jammy Thumbprint biscuits
makes about 30

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup icing sugar
2 cups flour
 jam (I used half lemon marmalade and half rasberrylicious)

First, leave the butter out to soften to room temperature. Preheat oven to 175C/ 350F.
Cream the vanilla into the butter. Then add the icing sugar and cream it in too. Once it is well mixed, add the flour a little at a time and mix in. Stir until the dough has a smooth consistency.

Roll the dough into little balls. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet about two inches apart. Press your thumb into the center of each cookie, squishing it a bit and making a little well in the middle. (Do not press all the way through the ball, though!) Spoon a dab of  jam into each thumbprint.
 
Bake on for 15 minutes, or until just barely starting to brown at the edges. Let cool on the pan for a minute, then transfer to a rack to cool to room temperature. They will keep if you store them in an airtight container.

RECIPE: Marshmallow Cupcakes

When it comes to baking, cupcakes take the cake!

So for my sister's 15th birthday I made mouth-watering marbled marshmallowy cupicakes!

This is my FAVOURITE flop-proof cupcake recipe - the best starter to ANY variation...

Marshmallow Cupcakes

adapted from The Hummingbird Bakery

Makes 12 big ones

Ingredients:

120g/1 cup cake flour

140g/ 3/4 cup caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3 Tbs softened butter

120ml/ 1/2 cup full cream milk

1 large egg

1/4  tsp vanilla extract

12 marshmallows

250g/ 2 cups icing sugar

5 Tbs softened butter 

2 Tbs full cream milk
drop of vanilla extract
12 marshmallows
 

Preheat the oven to 170C/325F. Put flour, sugar, baking powder and butter into a mixing bowl (add 1/4 cup cocoa powder for chocolate cupcakes). Using a handheld electric whisk on slow speed until combined (I used my Kenwood food processor with dough blade attachment). Gradually pour in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated. 

Whisk the egg, vanilla extract and remaining milk together in a seperate bowl, then pour it into the flour mixture and continue to beating until smooth. Place a marshmallow in each cupcake case and then spoon in the mixture until two-thirds full. Bake for 20-25 min or until golden. Leave cupcakes to cool.

For the frosting, beat the sugar and butter in a bowl until mixed well. Add the milk and vanilla extract. Once incorporated, whisk untill light and fluffy. Chop up the marshmallows and mix them in. Spoon the frosting mixture onto the cupcakes and sprinkle with coloured sugar or edible glitter.