Chocolate Bourbons

Selection tins of tea-time biscuits are a dangerous thing for awful decision makers such as myself, most often resulting in one of every type being greedily gobbled up. Whether your biccie of choice is the delightful custard cream, a jammy dodger, digestives, chocolate chip, 'Nice', or good old traditional shortbread there is one that is the childhood favourite of many, and that is the bladdy brilliant chocolate bourbon

This recipe produces shortbread-esque, deeply chocolaty fingers which are sandwiched together with a delicious creamy chocolate filling. It is remarkably similar to the original classic bourbons and brought back many a nostalgic sigh as I happily munched and dunked my way through more than I would like to admit :)

Even if you have never had the pleasure of eating the original, if you are a lover of chocolate biccies and smooth creamy icing (hello oreo fans!) than you will be guaranteed to adore these little cuties

Chocolate Bourbons

Adapted from Cherry on a Cake

Makes 12 cookies (or 11 if you are klutz like me and drop one in the dogs water bowl)

For the Cookies

4oz all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 Tbsp cocoa powder

2oz margarine or soft butter (I used marg)

2oz caster sugar

1 Tbsp golden syrup

For the Filling

1oz butter

2oz icing sugar

2 tsp cocoa powder

a few drops vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 170C and line baking sheets with baking parchment

Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder into a medium/large bowl

Add the margarine/butter, caster sugar and golden syrup, work together until blended*

Turn dough out onto a lightly sugared board and work with your hands until you can make a ball**

Roll out the dough between 2 pieces of baking parchment until about 1/4 inch thick (or slightly thinner). The dough should not be at all sticky and may crack around the edges but should still roll easily

Cut out rectangles approx 1 inch x 2 1/2 inches and prick each with a fork 4 times (to replicate the classic bourbon design)

Bake for 12-15 minutes***

Leave to cool completely on a rack

Fork butter until soft and creamy, add vanilla and sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa. Mix together until smooth and sandwich together the fingers in pairs

Enjoy with a lovely cuppa tea :)

Notes

* The original source states the dough is a little dry when mixing but to persevere, this is an understatement! I was pretty worried as it was literally crumbles and in the end I put the spoon to one side and just got my hands in there! I think the warmth helped and after a while I just tipped the (now more together dough) onto the board and worked it some more

** I didn't sugar my board, you can if you wish I don't think it alters much 

*** Original recipe doesn't state a temperature and says to bake for 15-20 minutes. I baked them at 170C and found the first batch were a bit overdone by 17 minutes. The next 2 batches were perfectly done at 12 mins

     Click for the Printable :)