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1
Cream the butter and brown sugar.
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2
In a separate bowl, sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder and salt.
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3
Add these sifted ingredients and the syrup to the butter mixture and combine until a dough forms.
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4
Bring it together with your hands, then divide it into four equal pieces.
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5
Roll each piece into a long sausage shape about 2.5 cm in diameter.
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6
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C/Mark 3 and line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
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7
Place a sausage of dough between two sheets of cling film (I prefer not to use flour because it marks the surface of the biscuits) and roll out to about 3mmthick.
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8
Chill in the fridge whilst you repeat this process with the remaining dough.
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9
Transfer the chilled pastry to a chopping board and use a pizza wheel or sharp knife to straighten the edges.
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10
When you have a neat shape, slice each piece into eight `fingers'.
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11
Traditional bourbon biscuits measure 6 x 3 cm, so if you want to create the perfect size, cut the fingers slightly smaller than this as they spread a little in the oven.
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12
Using a palette knife, lift the biscuits onto the prepared trays, spacing them at least 2 cm apart.
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13
Now use a fine skewer to make shallow holes along the top of each biscuit - two rows of five if you're a bourbon perfectionist.
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14
Bake for 10 minutes, until the biscuits look dry on top, then carefully check one with a palette knife.
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15
Sprinkle with granulated sugar and press it in gently with the back of a spoon.
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16
If ready, it will be fragile but should lift cleanly and neatly away from the lining paper.
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17
If not, bake for a few more minutes, then check again.
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18
When the biscuits are done, leave them on the trays for about 15 minutes, then use a palette knife to transfer them carefully to a wire rack.
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19
They will harden as they cool.
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20
To make the filling, sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl.
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21
(It is so tempting to miss out this step, but sifting is essential if you want a smooth butter cream.)
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22
Add the butter, vanilla and boiling water and beat well with a fork or hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
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23
Keep the butter cream at room temperature until you are ready to fill the biscuits.
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24
When the biscuits are completely cold, use a palette knife to spread the filling onto the underside side of one biscuit and gently press another biscuit on top.
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25
Sandwich all the biscuits in this way.
