Homemade Bourbon Creams

I know, I know. Why bother making Bourbon Creams when you can easily buy (for a fraction of the price of making)? I guess I always see it as a bit of a challenge trying to recreate things I like at home.

Except I've never really liked Bourbon Creams. *shock*

My brother and Ashley love them, and I don't see the appeal. I like chocolate but not chocolate biscuits. Similarly I'd much prefer chocolate chip cookies over double chocolate chip cookies. Crazy? Maybe. My heart belongs to Custard Creams. I can eat stacks of those babies with a good cup of tea. Beauuuuutiful. However, as much as I enjoy trying to recreate classics, I strongly believe Custard Creams are better left untouched!

I made a few tweaks to this recipe. One being the method of making the biscuits- the method in the original recipe is similar to that of making a shortbread where you rub the butter into the flour to create a breadcrumb texture then add the rest of the ingredients but because I'm lazy I chose to cream the butter and sugar together first. This alters the texture slightly in that they become a bit 'tougher' and less crumbly. If you prefer a more crumbly texture, follow the original recipe.

Admittedly, my version of Bourbon Creams is a little chocolatier  than the shop bought ones. But who would complain about that, right?

HOMEMADE BOURBON CREAMS
Recipe adapted from Nic Cooks.
Yields 40ish sandwiched biscuits. 

Biscuits

300g plain flour
75g cocoa powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
125g salted butter
150g caster sugar
1 egg
50g golden syrup
Granulated sugar, for dusting

1. In a bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt and bicarbonate of soda. Set aside.
2. In a stand mixer (or use an electric hand whisk, if you prefer) cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until incorporated, followed by the golden syrup.
3. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms. Tip out the mixture onto a work surface, form roughly into a ball and wrap in cling film to chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
4. Preheat oven to 170°C.
5. Roll out the dough 2-3mm thick. Using a ruler and a knife, cut the dough out into 2.5cm x 7cm rectangles and place on a baking tray. Be careful in transferring to the baking tray as you don't want broken or misshapen biscuits!
6. Using a cookie letter stamp (if you have one) carefully stamp 'Bourbon' into the centre. Then use a cocktail stick or the end of a skewer, prick ten holes into the biscuits (five on either side).
7. Bake for 12mins. 
8. Once removed from the oven, sprinkle over a little granulated sugar, cool for 5 minutes on the tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Filling

50g unsalted butter, very soft
70g icing sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder
30g dark chocolate, melted

1. In a bowl, cream together the butter, cocoa powder and icing sugar until light and fluffy. 
2. Add the melted chocolate and mix to incorporate. Using a piping bag (or sandwich bag with the a tiny bit of the corner cut off)- pipe onto one side of biscuit and sandwich with another half.
3. Store in an airtight container.