Cherry & Almond Melts

I am not one for really making cookies. I am not sure why as I do like them but I prefer to make biscuits really. These cherry and almond melts are so light and crumbly, akin to shortbread but much lighter, they're nice to make too. They're not hard and are completely adaptable to what flavourings you want to use. You can swap in lemon instead, raspberry, coffee etc. To make the melts (the biscuits) you will need:

• 250g butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 80g icing sugar
• 225g plain flour
• 75g cornflour
• 3/4 tsp almond essence

Buttercream filling:

• 100g butter
• 140g icing sugar
• half a teaspoon almond essence
• 2 heaped tablespoons of cherry jam

 Pre-heat the oven to 165 degrees. Make sure you sieve all the flours and sugar first. Then cream together the butter and the sugar, gradually adding in the flours and extract. I use a stand mixer. When it has been well mixed and incorporated, grease a baking tray and add about golf ball sizes of the mixture, spread well apart, onto the tray. With a floured fork, press down gently on the balls to flatten slightly. It'll make around 12 melts (don't forget they are sandwiched together). Keep checking on the biscuits, they will need about 20 minutes or until they seem a little firm to touch and the bottoms are lightly golden brown. When they are done transfer to a wire rack to cool.Then mix together the butter and icing sugar, gradually adding in the jam and essence. Adjust to your taste. You might want a little more jam or a little less almond. When the biscuits have cooled gently spread the buttercream onto a biscuit bottom and top with another biscuit. Keep going until they have all been iced and sandwiched together. You can then sieve a little icing sugar over the finished biscuits if you like. Either way they're completely delicious and moreish. Enjoy!