Afternoon Ruby Tea Biscuits

This comes from the Anne of Green Gables cookbook. These biscuits are wonderful, and one of the first things I learned how to make. Please note the recipe is designed for kids and writing as written.

• Ready In: 42 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 12 ruby tea bisuits

Ingredients

• 2  cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 4  teaspoons baking powder
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup vegetable shortening
• 3⁄4 cup milk
• 1⁄2 cup  jam or 1⁄2 cup  jelly, red

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Measure the sifted flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt and mix with fork in large mixing bowl.
3. Cut in vegetable shortening until it looks like coarse bread crumbs.
4. Add the milk and mix it into the flour with fork-but only until the mixture will form a soft ball.
5. Place the ball of dough on a lightly floured surface and knead it 12 times.
6. Rub some flour on rolling pin and roll the dough until it's about 1/4 inch thick.
7. With a large biscuit cutter cut circles, very close together, in the dough. Use a straight downward motion and do not twist the cutter.
8. With a spatula lift HALF of the circles, one at a time onto a cookie sheet and arrange them about 1 inch apart.
9. With a small cutter cut a hole in the center of the rest of the circles to make rings and lift out the centers. Set the centers aside.
10. Place the rings on top of the circles on the cookie sheet.
11. Place a teaspoon of red jam or jelly in each ring.
12. Bake biscuits for 12-15 minutes until golden.
13. Immediately take bicsuits off cookie sheet with spatula.
14. With centers bake into little biscuits.