Queen of Hearts Jam Tarts

The little puddin' head that helped me.

Have you ever noticed the little picture on the right column of my blog called "Rookie Reads"? Well, you should. That shows what cookbook I have been marking up with sticky notes. It might be a cookbook from the library (yes, the library has cookbooks. Borrow some and then break the law and photocopy recipes out of them), one I already had that I am falling in love with again or a new one.

This recipe is from "The Mother Goose Cookie-Candy Book" (see Rookie Reads at the right), a book my sisters and I had when we were little. I am rediscovering it and loving it.



1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon juice
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sugar, poured onto a plate
Jam or jelly (we used homemade organic blackberry jam. Just kidding, don't you hate it when people do that? We just used regular Smucker's blackberry. Why do people feel the need to patronize me with their food adjectives?)

In a large bowl, cream the butter with a hand mixer. Gradually add the sugar to the butter and beat until light and fluffy.

Add each egg, beating between additions. Add vanilla extract and lemon juice. Sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Combine the flour mixture with the butter mixture and mix well. Chill in the fridge for 1/2 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Scoop out a small amount of dough and roll it in the sugar on the plate. Place the dough on a greased cookie sheet. With your thumb, make a small indentation. In the indentation, add a small amount of jam (use a 1/2 tsp measuring spoon). Repeat with the rest of the dough. The cookie do spread alot, so do not put anymore than 8 dough balls on a tray.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from tray and cool on a cooling rack. Allow the cookie to cool completely. That jam gets REALLY freaking hot.