Should empire biscuits have smooth or scalloped edges?

[RobynsMama]

More important things going on, I know but I’m having this argument with my DP, please settle it. I mentioned I wanted to bake some empire biscuits, He told me I need a proper biscuit cutter to make them, I was just going to use a glass to cut the dough out (I’ve only ever had ones that have smooth edges). Also, glacé cherries or jelly sweeties on top?

Smooth, with a jelly sweetie on top, oh and aswell as the icing covering the whole of the top biscuit, so should the jam in between each biscuit.

None of these heathen ones with only a wee dod of jam in the centre between the biscuits, and a wee blob of icing on the top, and certainly NOT with glace cherries (food of the devil, boak).

Smooth with glace cherry.

I prefer a scalloped edeg but I don't have any biscuit cutters so I use a glass. I am also partial to a jelly tot but they don't sell them in this country so I use glacé cherries... I do rebel and use cherry jam instead of raspberry though.

Oh yum. Smooth with a glance cherry.

I've never seen one with a jelly sweet.

I wonder if I should attempt them...

Smooth with jelly sweet

I am excited! Going to make these tomorrow

Jelly sweet

Oh, these take me back to my North of the border youth. Empire biscuits, pineapple tarts and barrs red cola

@Fatted
I made pineapple tarts last week for my husbands family. Tasted like I remember but very sweet.

I've never heard of Empire Biscuits!
But I'd never heard of pineapple tarts until six months ago either. Where are they meant to be from?
The bakers near me sells them, and that was the first time I'd seen them.

I've never heard of them...

On the search I did most seem to be plain, there's some heart shaped ones too🤷🏻‍♀️

Just marking my place to save the recipe
Couldn't give a stuff about the edges it all tastes the same but I like a cherry!

My 93 year old Scottish grandma used to make them with scalloped edges and glacé cherries so this is effectively the law as far as I'm concerned.

She also used custard powder in her recipe too and her biccies were delicious.

She's unfortunately too unwell to bake now but her shortbread and her empire biscuits were legend!

If you don't have custard powder, replacing about 1/3 of the flour with cornflour also works. Scalloped edges usually, but that's because everyone has the same set of cutters.

I’ve never heard of these but they look lovely, I might make some! The recipe I found said raspberry jam but I only have strawberry, will that be acceptable?

I have never heard of empire biscuits before, and I was raised on Lees Snowballs, Tunnocks Teacakes and the Alpine skoosh lorry!

Obviously, we will be making some tomorrow as a matter of some urgency DH will as I'm a shit cook

Never mind all that. The main thing is the jam and icing are abundant, nice and moist (sorry, only word I’ve got in the tank). There’s nothing more disappointing than a dry empire biscuit, even if it has smooth edges and a jelly tot

Smooth and a jelly sweetie

Homemade = scalloped with glacé cherry piece on top.

Shop bought = plain edge with jelly sweet on top.

Both = delicious 😋

Ps apparently they used to be called German biscuits but allegedly that sounded unpatriotic during the war so they changed the name.

Most shop bought ones are round. My granny made ones with scalloped edges. Although she was old enough still to call them German biscuits.

Scalloped and a glace cherry

I like scalloped coz then the edges get slightly darker fired. Edge to edge jam between the biscuits, the top completely iced and a jelly tot as the crowning glory.

Not an issue either way is fine for both items.

Scalloped for me.

@BournvilleGreen

Believe it or not pineapple tarts come from Scotland. There is something called a pineapple tart that comes from Asia but it is savoury and in no way similar to a pineapple tart from the bakery. Here is the recipe I used.

bakingwithgranny.co.uk/recipe/pineapple-tarts/

Also for empire biscuits
bakingwithgranny.co.uk/recipe/empire-biscuits/

Smooth and a cherry.