Tea Biscuits - Cut Out Cookies with Jam Center

Ingredients:

2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
2 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. vegetable shortening
3/4 c. milk
1/2 c. red jam or jelly

Directions:

Mix flour, baking powder, sugar and salt with a fork in a large mixing
bowl.
Cut in vegetable shortening until the mixture looks like coarse bread
crumbs. Add milk and mix until the mixture will form a soft ball.
Place ball
of dough on a floured surface and knead it several times. Rub some
flour
onto the rolling pin and roll out the dough until it is about 1/4-inch
thick. Cut circles with a large cookie cutter. With a spatula lift
half the
circles, one at a time, onto the cookie sheet. Arrange them about 2
inches
apart. With a small cutter cut a hole in the rest of the circles to
make
rings. Lift out the centers with the spatula and set aside. With the
spatula, place cut circles on top of the whole circles that are on the
cookie sheet. Put a teaspoon of jam or jelly in the middle of each
ring.
Bake cookies in 400-degree oven for 12-15 minutes, or until puffed
and
slightly golden.

Submitted by: Carolina Decina