Line 2 half-sheet rimmed baking trays with parchment or silicone mats. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix butter and granulated sugar on high speed until soft and creamy, about 30 seconds. Add the egg and vanilla bean paste and mix until thoroughly combined.

Add the flour and mix, pausing to scrape down sides of bowl as necessary, until a soft, clumpy dough forms.

Tip out onto a lightly floured countertop and use your hands to finish bringing the dough together.

Flatten into an 8-inch disc. Wrap in clingfilm/plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or until very cold to the touch.

On a lightly floured countertop or silicone rolling mat, roll chilled dough to 4-5 millimeters thickness.

With a Jammie Dodger cutter or 2-inch scalloped-edge round metal cutter, cut dough into discs.

Re-roll scraps and repeat with remaining dough.

With a 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch heart cutter, cut a heart in the center of half of the biscuits.

Arrange on prepared trays, with whole biscuits on one tray and cutout biscuits on the other. (If you only have one tray, stack remaining biscuits between sheets of parchment and refrigerate until ready to bake.)

Freeze trays for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350° F / 176° C.

Bake in preheated oven, one tray at a time, for 13-15 minutes, or until biscuits set and bottoms turn very lightly golden brown. Do not overbake.

Cool completely on wire rack.

Pair biscuits by size, with one whole biscuit and one cutout biscuit per pair.

Scoop jam into a disposable piping bag. Turn solid biscuits upside-down and pipe with a dollop of jam. Spread with a butter knife or small stepped palette knife.

Top each with a second biscuit, pressing down gently to sandwich the two together.

Store homemade Jammie Dodgers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.