Bourbon Biscuit Dessert

Bourbon biscuits are a favourite in the UK.  They are two chocolate biscuits sandwiched together with a chocolate cream filling. 

I found a recipe for a dessert(he called it pudding) in Gary Rhodes’ Step by Step Cooking.  It was for two large bourbon biscuits, sandwiched by two layers of chocolate brownie and a layer of chocolate ganache.  I rather liked the look of them so I decided I would try to make some, but with a few differences.

There are quite a few steps to making this recipe, but it is really quite simple, if a little painstaking.
In the Gary Rhodes recipe the amount of cocoa powder for the brownies was 115g.  I reduced this to 45g since I thought the rich ganache and the chocolate flavour of the biscuit would be more than enough.  I also changed the ganache to a simple cream and chocolate mixture, leaving out the sugar and egg yolks.  I also decided I wanted something to help the brownies stick to the biscuits, so opted for some raspberry jam.  Lastly the original recipe suggested a rich coffee syrup to complement the dessert but I didn’t think this was necessary so I didn’t bother with that.

First you make the biscuit, then the brownies and finally the ganache.  Then it is just a matter of assembling everything, using a little raspberry jam as well which helps to stick the brownies to the biscuits.

I am very happy with how mine turned out.  They are quite large and quite rich, so I think they are definitely best eaten as a dessert.

Ingredients:
For the bourbon biscuits:

• 115g softened, unsalted butter
• 115g caster sugar
• 275g self raising flour
• 1 medium egg, beaten
• pinch of salt
• 45g cocoa powder
• 30-40ml milk

For the brownies:

• 175g unsalted butter
• 45g cocoa powder
• 3 medium eggs(large in USA)
• 350g caster sugar
• 115g plain flour
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp strong coffee
• 2 tbsp raspberry jam tor sticking(I used seedless)

For the ganache:

• 250ml double cream
• 230g dark chocolate(chips or finely chopped)

Method:

1. Start with making the biscuits by creaming the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
2. Add the egg and sift in the flour, salt and cocoa powder.
3. Mix together until combined, adding the milk until you have a soft dough.
4. Put the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/350F.
6. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. For the brownies line a large baking sheet that has a lip with parchment paper.
8. Melt the butter and whisk together, in a bowl, with the coca powder.
9. In a large bowl whisk the eggs and sugar together until thick and fluffy.
10. Pour the butter/cocoa mixture into the egg mixture and whisk together.
11. Add the flour, vanilla extract and coffee and mix to combine.
12. Pour the brownie imxture into the baking tray and spread evenly, to a thickness of about 1 cm(use two baking sheets if one is not large enough, I used a standard UK one and a small one).
13. Bake in the oven for about 10-11 minutes, until cooked but still very moist.
14. REmove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
15. Roll the dough out to a thickness of about 3mm.
16. Cut out 16 oblongs 10cm by 6cm(4inches by 2.5 inches).
17. Place  the cut out dough on the parchment paper and just gently press the corners to round a little.
18. Take the dull end of a skewer and poke ten hole, in two rows of 5 on each piece of dough.
19. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes and then take out and place on a rack to cool.
20. Place the cream in a saucepan and heat until almost, but not quite, boiling.
21. Pour over the dark chocolate and stir until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture has formed a smooth, runny ganache.
22. Set aside to cool, in the fridge if you wish.
23. The ganache will thicken as it cools, then whisk it to become a little fluffy.
24. Cut out 16 oblongs from the brownies, just a little smaller than the biscuits.
25. To assemble each bourbon dessert spread a thin coat of jam onto one side of two brownies.
26. Place a biscuit, hole side up, onto the raspberry jam.
27. Turn one biscuit brownie over and spread a thick covering of ganache all over. 
28. Place the other biscuit/brownie on top and press down slightly.
29. Repeat for the other seven.

Tip:  you may have enough dough, brownies and ganache to make more than 8 desserts.  So be clever how you cut out and you can then make more.