Napolitaines

Ingredients (Makes 15)

250g sifted white flour
175g margarine or butter
raspberry jam (about 50 grams)
2 cups icing sugar
1-2 tablespoons rum
2 drops red/blue/yellow/green food colouring
4 tablespoons milk or water at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)

Method

- Rub margarine or butter into the flour and make into a soft dough. (Use a little more margarine or butter if necessary but do not use water). Sprinkle in the rum to give it that special Mauritian flavour. Wrap up the dough in plastic wrap completely and allow to settle in the cool for 30 minutes.
- Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 4 mm. Cut small rounds, about 5 cms in diameter from it.
- Re-roll trimmings and cut more rounds.
- Place them on lightly greased baking sheets in a mid oven position and bake them in a preheated oven (180°C) until cooked but still "beige" in colour, not brown. Allow to cool down.
- When cool, spread jam over half of the biscuit rounds and cover with the remaining ones.
- Place the icing sugar in a medium bowl and slowly stir in the milk and vanilla, a little at a time, to make a smooth and pourable glaze. Towards the end, add the one or two drops of red food colouring with the glaze and blend in the colour well into the mix. Be careful not to add excess colouring. Once the glazing turns pink, stop.
- Place the biscuits on a wire baking tray. Individually pour the glazing over the biscuits. Any excess glazing will drop through thus ensuring that the biscuits are fully glazed. Place in a warm open environment and allow the glaze to harden.
- Enjoy.

Source

Madeleine's recipe : Napolitaines

Discover more of Madeleine’s Mauritian cuisine in

‘Best of Mauritian Cuisine’ by Madeleine and Clancy Philippe