Tasty Treat
Members of So-Sew’s committee are beginning the preparations for the first face to face meetings this year, which should hopefully start with the Summer Social, a favourite event in the So-Sew calendar. Before the pandemic, every meeting at the village hall was accompanied by a generous provision of coffee, cakes and biscuits provided by the team on refreshments duty.
This week the So-Sew Sisters Blog will feature a handful of favourite treats in the run up to National Biscuit Day on the 29th May. I thought I’d start with Napolitaine – a Mauritian treat I rustled up for the first meeting of 2020 – that seems so long ago now! Made from buttery unsweetened shortbread, are simple and quick to make. The added combination of jam and icing mean these simple biscuits will please any sweet tooth.
Ingredients
- 375g softened unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 500g plain flour sifted
- 400g icing sugar
- raspberry jam
- pink food colouring
- a small amount of water (around 7 tsp)
Method
- In a bowl combine the flour and salt.
- Add the softened butter and work into a soft dough.
- Form into a ball and chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 160c (320F or gas mark 3) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone liner.
- Remove from the fridge and roll out the dough until it is around 1cm thick.
- Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter or glass.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes – until just golden and firm to touch.
- Remove from the oven and cool fully before handling.
- Take half the biscuits and spread them with 1/4 teaspoon of jam, before sandwiching with a plain biscuit.
- Once all the biscuits have been used place them on a wire cooling rack, with a tray underneath.
- Place the sugar, food colouring and water in a bowl placed in a double boiler or bain marie, and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Once the sugar has reached a silky consistency pour it over the sandwich biscuits and if it begins to harden return to the doule boiler to warm through to be able to continue using it.
- When all the biscuits are covered, allow them to set. When the icing is firm place the napolitaines in an airtight container and store at room temperature.
Join Us
Before you rush off to the kitchen to try mixing a batch of these delicious treats did you know you could join So-Sew’s June meeting and get a taster of life in the WI? Femigami is a virtual origami workshop where participants will make model vulvas, origami hearts and other items. The workshop costs £5 for non-members to attend and takes place on Thursday 3rd June at 7pm. The workshop leaders advise that all of the projects they make during the session can be made with ordinary supplies such as A4 paper – no specialist purchases are required. Anyone interested in joining So-Sew for the evening can purchase a ticket from Eventbrite.