Jam Sandwich Biscuits

The end of another week! Phew is all I can say. It’s been busy, busy, busy. I’m behind on my washing, the house work. It’s crazy.

I hope the rest of the year isn’t like this, first week and already have a crazy Uni workload. I’m so drained at the end of a full day at Uni I just want to come home and sleep.

It’s also absolutely freezing in the studio. It’s a massive room, bare brick walls and this year they have a new SINGLE GLAZED (I mean who even knew you could still buy it?!) set of double doors with no rain strip so when it rains we get puddles and the rest of the time we just sit there shivering.

It’s crazy and so annoying, I really feel the cold and it doesn’t fill me with joy knowing I have to be in there for 8 hours.

Apparently they’re going to turn the heating on early as they don’t normally put it on until October. Good, maybe we won’t have to sit there in scarves and gloves.

I’ve come home and put my onesie on every day…

OK, yes I have a onesie. I love it, it’s so warm I can just sit on the sofa all snuggled up warm from neck to toe. Bit of a pain in the arse to go for a wee as you tend to sit there shivering when you have to pull it down. Anyway enough of the TMI.

I finally had acupuncture yesterday, it’s taken 8 months to get the appointment and I was feeling good about finally getting some help.

The guy was really friendly and so gentle putting the needles in I could barely feel it. I know acupuncture isn’t actually that painful, but needles still terrify me. It’s the fact I know they’re in there that makes me feel all funny.

I don’t really know how to describe acupuncture, at first I was sceptical, I didn’t believe it would work. However, after last time I did have an improvement in movement. No my back wasn’t fixed, but I could bend more. It sort of feels tingly when they’re in there, but not uncomfortable. OK, it’s bizarre when they come in half way through and wiggle them about, but still not painful.

Noooooooooooo the pain comes afterwards.

He said you might feel “a little bruised” and, as I’ve had acupuncture before and felt said “slight bruising” I thought I knew what to expect.

Nope, I was wrong, this time it’s almost unbearable, my entire spine feels bruised even in places he didn’t touch, I’ve actually got bruises all over my back and I can barely move. Hence, me getting even further behind on my washing and house work.

Fabulous, anyone fancy some biscuits to lighten the mood?

I bought these uber cute smiley cutters from Lakeland.

As soon as I saw them, I just knew I had to have them. They don’t disappoint, super easy to use, although I would advise having a toothpick to hand to poke out the dough from the eye holes and mouth. I’m not usually one for short cuts, but instead of fiddling about with different size cutters, I’m glad I bought these.

Apologies in advance for the photos, I just have a few more recipes worth of pictures from my old camera, before everything will be from my DSLR.

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Makes about 40 biscuits (20 sandwich biscuits)

Recipe adapted from 1001 Cupcakes, Cookies and Tempting Treats

Ingredients:

> 225g butter, softened
> 140g caster sugar
> 1 egg yolk
> 2tsp vanilla extract
> 280g plain flour + extra to dust
> 5tbsp of your favourite seedless jam (I used raspberry)

Method:

> Don’t preheat oven yet, this dough needs to chill.
> Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.
> Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
> Add in the egg yolk and the vanilla extract.
> Beat until light and fluffy.
> Sieve in the flour.
> Mix until a dough forms. Don’t be tempted to overmix. Once the dough forms stop mixing and then use your hands to make it into one dough ball. Wrap the dough in cling film.
> Place the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C and line 2 baking trays.
> After chilling, flour the work surface and turn the dough out onto it.
> Roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick.
> Cut your shapes out making sure you have 20 of each (bottom and one with face cut out) and place them on the baking trays. If you don’t have the face cookie cutters, cut out all the biscuits with the same cutter and then use a smaller one to cut out the middle of half of the biscuits.

> Place in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly brown and firm to the touch.
> Leave to cool on the baking trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
> Once cooled, place the jam in a small bowl.
> Using a teaspoon, spoon some jam onto a “back biscuit” (one without a face) and spread it out. Don’t put loads of jam on as it will run everywhere when you put the tops on!