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Bake Off: Try your hand making traditional Empire biscuits for biscuit week

Empire biscuits from Dean's Shortbread.
Empire biscuits from Dean's Shortbread.

Biscuits are so popular these days that even The Great British Bake Off has an entire episode dedicated to it.

After being revealed as the nation’s favourite biscuit at the end of last year, it’s no surprise that one of Scotland’s biggest biscuit manufacturers has let us is on the secret of how to make their Empire biscuits.

Straight from the team at Dean’s Shortbread, based in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, this recipe is simple and uses many ingredients you’re likely to have in your cupboards at home already.

So make like Bake Off in your own kitchen and have a go at these biscuits today.

For more inspiration, take a look at some of our other desserts and sweet treat recipes here.


Empire biscuits

Makes 10-12

Ingredients

  • 100g unsalted butter, softened
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 1 medium egg
  • ¼ tsp vanilla paste
  • 275g plain flour
  • 4 tsp seedless raspberry jam
  • 2 tbsp boiled water
  • 100g icing sugar
  • 6 glace cherries, halved

Method

  1. Beat the butter and caster sugar together until pale and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat again before adding the flour.
  2. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat the oven to 170C Fan/190C/375F/Gas Mark 5. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment and set to one side.
  4. Dust a clean work surface with a little flour then roll out the chilled dough roughly to the thickness of a one pound coin.
  5. Cut into 7cm rounds and arrange evenly on the prepared baking sheets. Gather up the scraps and roll out again, cutting more rounds. Repeat until all of the dough has been used.
  6. Bake the rounds for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. Cool on the trays for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Place the jam in a bowl and whisk to loosen. Use to sandwich the biscuits together.
  8. To make the icing: Mix two tablespoons of just boiled water into the icing sugar until smooth, then spoon a little on top of each sandwiched biscuit, spreading evenly towards the edges.
  9. Top each biscuit with half a glace cherry and leave to set.
  10. The biscuits can be stored in an airtight container for up to five days.

More biscuit recipes…

National Shortbread Day: Celebrate with this easy recipe for the famous Scottish buttery biscuit treat

National Biscuit Day: A take on Scotland’s favourite, and a recipe for the most dunkable ginger nuts