Marmalade Buttons

It isn't often that Paul requests something sweet. He is very proud of the fact that he doesn't have much of a sweet tooth, so generally I only make desserts and cakes and things when we have guests, or when I have every intention of eating most of it myself.

But the other day he asked me to bake him some biscuits. That's cookies to you folks across the pond. He was fairly specific. He wanted quite a plain biscuit to have with a cup of tea, and he wanted hard icing on them.

I looked back through my archive of recipes that I have planned to make, and hit upon Dan Lepard's Marmalade Buttons. I have been waiting a long time to make these biscuits! In February 2008 I thought the moment had arrived, but then I didn't have the energy for home baking and I missed my chance. More than 2 years later I finally get to make them!

I'd say they were worth the wait, but I am actually irritated that it took so long for me to get to eat these delectable little shortbready biscuits. I didn't have rice flour or semolina, so I used tapioca flour, which gives the right sort of very short, crumbly texture. I used some of last year's home made whiskey marmalade, so they had a lovely dark sophisticated citrus flavour and weren't too sweet.

Next time I make them (and I can assure you I won't be waiting another two years) I will chop the marmalade up a bit, because mine had very long shreds which made slicing the dough a bit of a challenge. I will also put a bit more care into the rolling of the dough, because my biscuits were very wonky! I didn't do the rolling in demerera sugar, because of Paul's desire for hard icing on them, and I didn't take a picture after they were iced, because frankly they were much prettier without it. But icing he wanted, so icing he got. I'm a very obedient woman.