Name: Thumbprint cookies
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Makes 55-60 biscuits
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 250g plain flour; 70g icing sugar plus about 2 tbsp for dusting; 8g vanilla sugar or 8g caster sugar plus 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tsp lemon zest; 150g butter cut into cubes; 2 egg yolks; 100g redcurrant jelly (or raspberry jam)

Ingredients

55 serv.

250g plain flour
70g icing sugar plus about 2 tbsp for dusting
8g vanilla sugar or 8g caster sugar plus 1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon zest
150g butter cut into cubes
2 egg yolks
100g redcurrant jelly (or raspberry jam)

Instructions

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1 For the shortcrust pastry, sift the flour and icing sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the vanilla sugar, lemon zest and a pinch of salt. Rub the butter into the flour mixture until it is incorporated and then mix in egg yolks. Knead everything into a compact smooth dough. Wrap the dough and chill it for 1 hour.
2 Remove the dough from the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature for 10 minutes. Form the dough into a long roll and divide it into 60 equal portions. Form a small ball from each portion and place it on a baking sheet covered with baking parchment (you will need two or more sheets). Press a dip (for the jam) into each ball with the handle of a wooden spoon.
3 Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Heat the jelly or jam in a saucepan until it melts. Use a teaspoon to fill the dips in the dough balls.
4 Bake for 12-15 minutes, then allow to cool completely. Finally, dust the cookies with some icing sugar. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks.