Cookies, cookies, cookies

After a late breakfast this morning and having nothing else planned for the day I decided to go to the shopping centre, have a coffee and just wander around, do some window shopping.    As you can imagine I didn't just window shop, I bought a book, a bargain book at just $10 . The title of this book grabbed me before I had even opened it to have a browse, "1 Dough, 100 Cookies" written by Linda Doeser , take 1 basic recipe and make 100 kinds of cookies.  I needed another coffee to be able to sit and look through this before I left the shops.   I would need to stock up on supplies, you see I was already planning what to bake before that coffee was finished.     Something my nana baked often,  Almond and Raspberry jam drops, with everything I needed, it was home to my kitchen.     Let me just say that these are so easy to make, twenty minutes later I had twenty five raspberry and apricot drops.    I thought I had enough raspberry jam, but I was almost out so half of the drops are apricot.     These are buttery, almond, and with a little jam not too sweet little drops of yummy.

Almond and raspberry jam drops:

Makes about 25

225g/8oz butter, softened
140g/5oz caster sugar
1 egg yolk
2 tsp almond extract
280g/10oz plain flour
55g/2oz almonds, toasted and chopped
55g/20z chopped mixed peel  (I left this out, and it hasn't affected the finished cookie)
4tblsp raspberry jam (or any jam you have on hand)

Preheat oven to 190C / 375F. Line 2 baking trays with baking parchment
Put the butter and sugar into a bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon ,( I used a hand mixer) then beat in the egg yolk and almond extract.  Sift together the flour and a small pinch of salt into the mixture, add the almond and mix peel if you use it and stir until thoroughly combined.
Scoop tablespoons of the mixture and shape into balls with your hands, then put them onto the trays.  Using the end of a wooden spoon make a hollow in the centre of each one and fill with jam.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. leave to cool on the baking trays, then using an egg lifter slide them onto wire racks to cool completely. Enjoy