Calling all bakers, young and old! If you’re looking for an impressive yet easy sweet treat, look no further than Mary Berry’s Empire Biscuits. These melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies, layered with tangy raspberry jam and a touch of sweet icing, are the perfect addition to your afternoon tea spread or a delightful homemade gift.
Check Out Mary Berry Empire Biscuits Recipe
Why Mary Berry’s Empire Biscuits are a Must-Try
Simple Baking Fun: With Mary Berry’s guidance, even novice bakers can create these delectable treats. The recipe requires only basic ingredients and straightforward steps, making it a great choice for a family baking project. Kids will love getting their hands dirty mixing the dough, cutting out shapes, and unleashing their creativity with the decorations.
A Feast for the Senses: The beauty of Empire Biscuits lies in their perfect textural and flavor combination. The buttery shortbread crumbles just enough with each bite, providing a delightful contrast to the sweet and tart raspberry jam filling. The finishing touch of icing adds a touch of sweetness that ties everything together beautifully.
Customizable and Versatile: The beauty of this recipe is its room for personalization. While Mary Berry’s classic version features raspberry jam, feel free to experiment with different flavors! Spread some sunshine with apricot jam, embrace the summer with strawberries, or add a touch of luxury with a dollop of lemon curd.
Baking with Mary Berry: Step-by-Step Guide
Prep Time: Preheat your oven and line baking sheets with parchment paper. This ensures your delicious creations won’t stick and makes cleanup a breeze!
Creating the Perfect Dough: In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Sift in the flour and a touch of vanilla extract (if using) and gently mix until just combined. You’ll end up with a soft, pliable dough that’s ready to be transformed into yummy cookies.
Shaping and Baking: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a desired thickness. Use fun cookie cutters to create different shapes hearts, stars, or rounds, the choice is yours! Remember, you can use a larger cutter for fewer, but bigger cookies, or smaller cutters for a fun variety of shapes. Gently transfer the cutouts to your prepared baking sheets and bake until golden brown.
Building your Empire: Once the cookies are cool, it’s time for the fun part assembly! Spread a generous dollop of your favorite jam onto the flat side of one cookie. Carefully place another cookie on top, creating a delicious jam sandwich.
The Icing Touch: Now comes the moment to unleash your inner artist! Whip up a simple glaze using icing sugar and a touch of water or milk. Drizzle the glaze over your assembled cookies, creating a beautiful sheen. Top each biscuit with a candied cherry or a sprinkle of colored icing sugar for an extra touch of elegance.
Tips and Tricks for Empire Biscuit Perfection
- Dust your rolling pin with a bit of flour to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Don’t overbake your cookies aim for a light golden brown color for the perfect texture.
- Leftover biscuits can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
Empire Biscuit Variations: A World of Flavor
Feeling adventurous? The excellence of this recipe lies in its versatility. Here are some exciting variations to tickle your taste buds:
Chocolate Orange Dream: Substitute a portion of the flour with cocoa powder to create a chocolate shortbread base. Pair it with tangy orange marmalade for a delightful citrusy twist, and finish it off with a decadent chocolate drizzle.
Fruity Twist: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different jams! Explore the world of flavors with options like strawberry, apricot, or even a dollop of lemon curd for a delightful surprise.
So, preheat your oven, gather your ingredients, and get ready to bake a batch of Mary Berry’s delightful Empire Biscuits. With a little bit of love and creativity, you can create a showstopping treat that’s perfect for any occasion.
Empire Biscuit Recipe Mary Berry Ingredients
| Softened Butter | 180g |
| Plain Flour | 175g |
| Powdered Sugar | 50g |
| Cornmeal | 50g |
| Cherries | 6 |
Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- First, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) or gas mark 4. If you have a fan oven, adjust it to 160°C (320°F). Don’t forget to line a baking sheet with parchment paper this will save you time cleaning later!
- In a large bowl, grab your butter, powdered sugar, and corn flour. Give them a good mix until everything is well combined.
- Now comes the fun part! Get your hands in there and mix the dough until it all comes together in a smooth ball.
- Lightly dust your work surface with flour this will stop the dough from sticking. Roll out the dough until it’s about half a centimeter thick (a little thicker than the width of your pinky finger).
- Time to cut out those biscuits! Use a round cookie cutter to make 12 circles. Gently place them on your baking sheet.
- Pop the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. You’re looking for them to be just starting to turn golden brown.
- Once they’re baked, take the biscuits out and let them cool down a bit. While they’re cooling, grab six of them and spread some yummy raspberry jam on top.
- Now, take the other six biscuits and use them to make little jam sandwiches with the ones you spread jam on earlier. Yum!
- Almost there! To make sweet icing, mix some icing sugar with a little bit of water until you get a smooth consistency. It shouldn’t be too runny.
- Decorate your empire biscuits! Spread a little bit of icing on each biscuit sandwich.
- Finally, top each biscuit with a cherry for that classic Empire Biscuit look.
Mary Berry Recipe For Empire Biscuits Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 384 Kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 37g |
| Sugar | 8.3g |
| Protein | 3.9g |
| Fat | 25g |
