Bourbon Biscuits
Former royal chef Carolyn Robb bakes up some true British classics.
In this installation of Royal Eats, former royal chef Carolyn Robb shows us howe to make the delightful chocolate bourbon biscuits that she served to the young princes when they were kids. Rather like giant dominoes, these chocolate biscuits, sandwiched together with a rich crunchy chocolate filling, are a British classic loved by all ages. They can be made in many shapes and sizes. These giant ones, however, are a meal in themselves! This recipe, which was the chef's mother’s, goes back almost 80 years, so it's well tried and tested on many generations of children, including herself. Commercially made ones are readily available, but it's worth every bit of effort to make these at home, as they are so much better.
(110 g.) butter, room temperature
(100 g.) caster sugar or granulated sugar
(170 g.) cake flour, sifted, plus more for rolling
polenta
unsweetened cocoa powder
baking powder
large egg
vanilla extract
(60 g.) butter
plus 3 tbsp. (130 g.) granulated sugar
unsweetened cocoa powder
vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick silicone liners.
- In a food processor, cream butter and caster sugar. Add flour, polenta, cocoa powder, and baking powder and continue to process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg and vanilla and continue to process until a smooth dough forms; do not overprocess or biscuits will be very hard.
- Transfer dough to a medium bowl and knead with your hands until smooth and combined. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a square about 1/4" (0.5 cm) thick, dusting with flour to prevent sticking. Using a ruler, cut out 24 (2") squares, rerolling scraps if necessary.
- Arrange dough on prepared sheets and prick with a fork to make a pattern. Bake until slightly puffed and firm, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat or in a heatproof bowl in microwave, melt butter. Add granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Spread a generous amount of filling on flat side of 12 squares. Place a second square flat side down on top and lightly press down to stick together.
