For an easy-to-make biscuit, these are hard to top. Add some ground almonds and fill them with apricot jam for an elegant teatime treat; use lemon zest and lemon curd for biscuits to serve with ice cream. Or simply fill with strawberry jam for a bedtime treat with a glass of milk. They are just as at home in lunch boxes. The following quantities will make 24 to 30 biscuits.

225 g softened butter
100 g caster sugar
275 g plain flour sifted with ½ tsp baking powder
8 tbsps jam, jelly or curd

Line two baking sheets with baking parchment and heat the oven to 180˚C. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, add any zest or flavouring at this stage, then fold in the flour with a metal spoon until the mixture combines to a soft dough.

Take a small piece of dough and roll it into a ball. Place on the baking tray, and continue with the rest of the dough, leaving space between each as the mixture spreads during baking.

With your finger make an imprint in each ball, big enough to hold about a teaspoon of jam.

Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until light golden brown. Carefully transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool completely.