These shortbread biscuits were inspired by some that we received as a present, and I thought that I’d have a go at recreating them by making up the recipe myself! They would make a perfect Valentine’s or anniversary gift, and are delicately flavoured with rose (as long as you don’t go too mad with the rose water!). I used Taylors’ China rose petal tea for this recipe – it’s better than using a flavoured black tea.

Ingredients (makes about 25 hearts)

140g/5oz plain flour
110g/4oz butter
55g/2oz caster sugar
25g/1oz cornflour
1 tsp rose tea
1 capful of rosewater (probably about 1/4 tsp)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas mark 3 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put all of the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and rub everything together.

2. Add the rosewater and mix well, squashing the mixture into a ball. Roll out (to about half a centimetre thick) on a floured surface and cut out the heart shapes.

3. Place the biscuits onto the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

4. Enjoy with a cuppa! Happy Valentine’s Day!

The post Rose shortbread hearts appeared first on Hello! Hooray!.

I found this recipe on the BBC website.

Ingredients

250g/9oz plain flour
200g/7oz butter, cut into small cubes
100g/3½oz icing sugar
pinch of salt
2 free-range egg yolks
4 tbsp raspberry jam

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.

2. Place the flour, butter, icing sugar and salt into a bowl. Using your fingertips, rub the ingredients together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3. Add the egg yolks and mix until a dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll out to a thickness of about 0.5cm/¼in. Cut out shapes using a 4cm/1½in cutter.

4. Divide the sables in half. Using a 2cm/1in fluted cutter, make a hole in the middle of half of the sable biscuits and discard the dough. Place all the sables on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper.

5. Bake the sables for 10-12 minutes, or until light golden-brown and crisp (mine actually took 14 minutes, so best to just keep an eye on them!). Remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

6. Using a teaspoon, place a small dollop of raspberry jam on a whole sable. Place a sable (with a hole) over the whole sable biscuit, before enjoying with a cuppa!

The post Jam-filled butter biscuits appeared first on Hello! Hooray!.