Spitzbuben

You can also experiment with all sorts of different cookie cutter shapes here, depending on what appeals. So these double-decker biscuits can easily be adapted for any season.

Serves 30-40 biscuits

Ingredients

For the biscuit dough

• 150g cold butter
• 300g plain flour, plus extra for the work surface
• 100g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
• Seeds from ½ vanilla od
• ½ tsp finely grated organic lemon zest
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 egg
• Pinch of salt

For the filling

• 150g redcurrant jam (see p208)
• 1 tsp rum

Method

FOR THE BISCUIT DOUGH Cut the butter into cubes. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour and icing sugar. Add the remaining ingredients and work everything swiftly together until you have a smooth dough. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan/350°F/Gas 4). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. 2.5cm (1 in) thick, then stamp out 5cm (2in) circles. Create little cut-out shapes in half of these circles. Combine the left-over biscuit dough and repeat the steps above to create more shapes. Place the circles on the lined baking sheet, making sure they are spaced out sufficiently, then bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 8-10 minutes until golden. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

FOR THE FILLING Heat the jam and rum. Spread the jam over the bottom of the biscuit bases (without cut-outs). Dust the biscuits with the holes with icing sugar and place them on the jam-covered bases.