Empire Biscuits
Delightfully nostalgic and utterly indulgent, Empire Biscuits are a classic treat that brings together buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread, a sweet raspberry jam filling, and a glossy sugar glaze crowned with a playful jelly sweet or glace cherry. Perfectly simple to make, these traditional Scottish biscuits are a tea-time favorite, taking only 20 minutes to prep and 12 minutes to bake. The dough, made with a combination of all-purpose flour and cornstarch, creates a tender and delicate texture, while the vibrant jam and glossy icing offer a beautiful contrast of flavors and colors. Ideal for parties, gift-giving, or a comforting snack with your favorite hot drink, these biscuits are both visually charming and irresistibly tasty. Discover how easy it is to bake these vintage gems and bring a touch of confectionery joy to your kitchen!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 200 grams unsalted butter
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 300 grams plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 50 grams cornstarch (cornflour)
- 120 grams raspberry jam
- 200 grams powdered sugar (icing sugar)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 12 pieces jelly sweets or glace cherries (for decoration)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
Sift the plain flour and cornstarch into the butter mixture. Mix until the dough comes together. It should be soft but not sticky.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to roughly 5mm thickness.
Use a round cookie cutter (about 7cm in diameter) to cut out as many circles as possible. Re-roll the scraps of dough and cut more circles until the dough is used up.
Place the biscuits on the prepared baking trays, leaving a little space between each one. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are just turning golden. Do not overbake as the biscuits should remain pale.
Remove the biscuits from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking trays for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once the biscuits are completely cool, spread a generous teaspoon of raspberry jam onto the underside of one biscuit and sandwich it with another biscuit. Repeat with the remaining biscuits.
In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar with water to create a thick but pourable glaze.
Spoon a little glaze onto the top of each biscuit and use the back of the spoon to spread it evenly over the surface.
Before the glaze sets, press a jelly sweet or a piece of glace cherry into the center of each biscuit for decoration.
Allow the glaze to set completely before serving. Enjoy your homemade Empire Biscuits with a cup of tea or coffee!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
4403 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 174.5 g | 224% | |
| Saturated Fat | 100.5 g | 503% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 443 mg | 148% | |
| Sodium | 66 mg | 3% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 688.4 g | 250% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 8.5 g | 30% | |
| Total Sugars | 396.4 g | ||
| Protein | 32.9 g | 66% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 99 mg | 8% | |
| Iron | 4.0 mg | 22% | |
| Potassium | 375 mg | 8% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
