Melt-in-the-mouth JAM COOKIES

My sister's first visit to Bangalore since I moved here. Needless to say it was amazing - spiced with a lot of fun, chatter and giggles. We did go shopping and ended up buying more than we had expected (which ironically what exactly what anyone would have expected of us)... But that is a tale of another day.

Four days of holiday was gone in a wink and I am already looking forward to her next trip - I hope it is soon ( Amen to that )

As is the case always, I never let her go without a parcel of baked goodies. If I visit my hometown and she is due to visit my parents some days after, I always make sure I leave a package of cookies and muffins neatly tucked away - only for her to discover later.

I half suspect she likes to visit me only for the sake of what she gets to eat while I am around.

I made her a batch of these Jam Cookies and was hoping she will carry them back with herself  - it was not meant to be. We wiped them clean within hours of them coming out of the oven. Thankfully I had managed to smuggle some out of her sight to pack them for her later - just a reminder of the fun times we shared.

I am sharing the recipe below -  I am sure you would love them.

They literally melt in the mouth...

You will need:

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

140 gm unsalted butter - at room temperature

120 gm powdered sugar

1.5 tsp vanilla essence

1/4 cup jam (of your choice)

Pinch of salt

1 -2 tbs milk (if needed)

How to make:

Sieve the baking powder, flour and salt together.

Use an electric beater to mix together the butter, sugar and vanilla essence till they are light and fluffy.

Add flour to the mixture and gather together gently to make a dough. Add milk if too dry.

Keep in the fridge covered for 15 minutes if it is too sticky.

Next roll the dough 1/8th of an inch thickness. Using  a cookie cutter cut the dough into rounds. Cut out an even number of rounds.

Now use a smaller cookie cutter (or alternatively the cap of a bottle -be creative) and cut out the centre of half the rounds. What you want to achieve is a circular ring.

Place this cookie over the cookie without a hole and fill in a little jam in the cavity.

Bake at 180 degree Celsius for 15 - 20 minutes.

Make extras - 'coz they sure don't last long :P