Scrumptious Jam Tarts

      Hi! Oh my gosh, I just baked my first cookies (or tarts rather) this week! Squee! It wasn't burnt or poisoned or anything! : D It did look a little distorted though, but the teacher said it was fine since it was our first time (we did it in pairs, I did it with one of my best friends). Here's a picture of one of my best ones.

      You would have thought that since I always post stuff on baking and cooking, that I would have at least baked simple cookies before. Well, no, as a matter of fact this was my first time and you would not believe the fun I had. I don't actually have the recipe with me now but I'm just going to write it down by what I remember, so there might be errors that I will have to correct once i get the book. Okay so here goes:

I don't believe in low-fat cooking.

~ Nigella Lawson

Jam Tarts/Cookies

Ingredients:

100g all-purpose flour

2 cubes butter (about 1/6 of the stick)

1 level teaspoon baking powder

 1/2 egg (beaten)

about 1/4 cup fine sugar

Different Fruit Jams
Pinch of salt

How to Bake

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Put a cookie sheet onto a baking tray and set aside. Sift flour, salt and baking powder. Add butter and cut it up into smaller pieces. "Mush" lightly into the flour with hands, (try not to let the butter melt in the process) make sure there are no "clumps" when you're done. Mix in sugar. Add 1/2 (2 tablespoons) egg. Mix well until a dough is formed. Dust clean tabletop with flour and set the dough on the tabletop. Knead well, then divide into ten portions each shaped into a rounded patty (don't make them too small or they'll burn in the oven) with a little depression in the center for the jam (you don't want your cookies overflowing). Spread them out on the cookie sheet and add a teaspoon of fruit jam on each cookie. (Try adding different flavors) Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Don't forget to inhale the heavenly scent of your tarts/cookies! Allow to cool on a wire rack. Makes about 10.

Baking Tip:

Replace 30% of the flour with cornflour

to get a "softer" effect on your cookies.

      I hope you could try this easy recipe at home. If you have kids, you could get them to help... or eat... or make a mess... But I'm sure they'll love it anyway. Oh, have I mentioned who my favourite bakers and chefs are? No, I don't think I have. I absolutely love watching Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver on their cooking shows! I've been watching them since I was young. I want to be like one if them in the future. But for next week I'll be posting the recipe for rock cakes, they taste really good too, so look forward to it!