Jam Ribbons

People love the red flavours of sweet stuff. The red skittles, red jelly beans, red gummi bears, red lollipops… and who could blame them, with red being such a vibrant colour that often imitates some form of red berry. Strawberry, raspberry, cherry…

Well, cherries aren’t technically berries, but they rhyme with “berries” and they’re red, so close enough.

Another red fruit? Apples. But they get the bum deal. Unlike raspberries, which produce vibrant, crimson jams, apples become apple butter, a dark brown substance.

I’m here to say “who cares?” because apple butter is downright delicious.

I had leftover raspberry jam from the cake I had made earlier in the week and went on my usual recipe hunt on the internet. Coming across a recipe for Raspberry Ribbons, I thought about the idea of combining shortbread with all kinds of fruit, and promptly rooted through my fridge.

Tucked next to the raspberry jam was the abnormally large jar of apple butter that Trevor and I keep around in case anything resembling bread was feeling particularly naked.

We really like apple butter.

So I made raspberry ribbons, except half of them were apple ribbons instead.

Were the apple ribbons as pretty as the raspberry ones?

No.

Were they as tasty?

Oh yes.

If you like apple butter at all, I would advise you to try this variant. And if you do, maybe you can try out an idea that’s been rolling around my head and try putting a little cinnamon and nutmeg in the shortbread. Tell me how it goes, okay?

That is, if I don’t beat you to it.

Adapted from Taste of Home

Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup jam (I used Apple Butter and Raspberry)

Glaze

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven for 350 degrees F.
2. Cookies: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
3. Divide dough into four portions; shape each into a 8-in. x 2-in. log. Place 4 in. apart on greased parchment-lined baking sheets. Make a 1/2-in. depression down the center of each log. Bake for 10 minutes.
4. Fill depressions with jam. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet on a wire rack until no longer hot to the touch.
5. Remove to a cutting board; cut into 3/4-in. slices.
6. Place cookies on wire racks placed within cookie sheets.
7. Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together glaze ingredients. Drizzle over cookies. Cool completely and wait for glaze to harden before storing in an air-tight container. Place sheets of parchment between layers of cookies.

Makes approx. 3 dozen.

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