Empire biscuits

50g icing sugar

135g butter or soft spread

200g soft flour

Jam

Fondant or water icing

Weighing scales, mixer with dough hook, rolling pin, pastry cutters, baking sheet, cooling rack, bain marie/microwave, piping bag

1. Using a mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, mix the icing sugar and butter/soft spread until it clears the side of the bowl. BUT DO NOT CREAM!
2. Add the flour and on a slow speed mix until it clears the side of the bowl.
3. Roll out to approx. 4mm thick using a rolling pin and dusting flour.
4. Cut out using a 4” plain or fluted cutter – each biscuit should weigh about 30g. 
5. Once cut place a sheet of silicone paper on the baking sheet and place the biscuits on top.
6. Bake at 175c for 16 minutes.
7. The biscuits should be sandwiched together with jam whilst still warm and can be decorated with fondant or water icing.
8. The fondant icing should be heated to no higher than 37c. 
9. Finish with jelly sweet in the centre.

The less you handle the biscuit paste the better.

Why not use the Explore Food calculator, the British Nutrition Foundation's free online nutritional analysis programme, to calculate the nutritional information for this and other Food - a fact of life recipes?