Jam Sandwich Cookies

These delicate cookies are perfect for tea or coffee time. I didn’t have fancy cookie cutters, so I used a plain round cutter for the bottoms and a donuts cutter to make the tops. You can use a 2.5-3 inch (6.5-7.5 cm) and a 1 inch (2.5 cm) cutter to cut out the centres of half of the round ones.
For a prettier presentation you can use decorative cutters. 
As for the jam, use any jam you like. I made most of the cookies with homemade quince jam, and the rest with store bought fig jam.
Another tip: dust the tops generously with powdered sugar before placing them on top of the bottoms covered with jam to avoid covering the jam with sugar.
The recipe makes up around 20 cookies.

Ingredients
½ cup butter (softened)
1 tablespoon margarine
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup (packed) icing sugar
2  1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

½  teaspoon baking powder

More icing sugar for dusting
Jam of your choice (around 1.5 cups or 450 g)

2.5 inch (6.5 cm) and 1 inch round cookie cutters 

Directions

1. Beat the sugar, butter, shortening and vanilla to obtain a creamy mixture. Add the egg and beat to combine.
2. Combine the flours and the baking powder and add to the previous mixture. Mix until all the ingredients come together to form a soft dough.
3. Form a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 325F (160 C), with the rack in the middle position.
5. Sprinkle work surface with flour. Roll out and flatten the dough to 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. I like them very thin but you can make them up to a 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick.
6. Cut the same number of cookies with the round cookie cutter and the donut cookie cutter. If you don't use a donut cookie cuter, cut all the dough with the big cookie cutter, then cut holes in the center of half the cookies with the small cookie cutter. Gather all the scraps, re-roll and cut.
7. Transfer to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper spacing them 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) apart.
8. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes. Wait around 10 mns before transferring them to a cooling rack. They can break easily when hot.
9. Spread 1 teaspoon (or more) of jam on the bottoms (without a hole).
10. Dust generously the tops (with a hole) with icing sugar then place on top to form a sandwich.