Ingredients

• 3 tbsp golden syrup
• 50g/2oz molasses sugar
• 50g/2oz butter
• plus a little extra for greasing
• 40g/1½oz plain flour
• sifted
• ¾ tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp brandy
• 200ml/7fl oz double cream
• 1 vanilla pod
• split
• seeds scraped out
• 75g/3oz icing sugar
• 25ml/1fl oz Kirsch
• 200g/7oz blackberries

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180C/365F/Gas 4.
• Place the golden syrup
• molasses sugar and butter into a heavy-based pan over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5-6 minutes
• or until the sugar has completely dissolved.
• Remove the pan from the heat
• add the flour and ground ginger and mix well.
• Add the brandy and stir to combine.
• Divide the mixture into four equal portions and place onto a greased and lined baking tray (leave enough space between the portions on the tray to account for spreading as they cook).
• Transfer to the oven to bake for six minutes
• then remove and allow to cool slightly
• until just setting but still pliable.
• Place two tins a little distance apart and balance (bridge) a wooden spoon across the tins. Gently wrap the pliable brandy snap around the spoon to make a hollow cigar shape and set onto a cool plate. Repeat with the remaining brandy snaps.
• For the filling
• place the double cream
• vanilla seeds
• icing sugar
• kirsch and 50g/2oz of the blackberries into a large bowl and whip together until thickened and purple from the blackberry juice.
• Spoon the blackberry cream into a piping bag
• then pipe into each brandy snap to fill up.
• Place a blackberry at the end of each brandy snap opening and serve on plates with a spoonful of blackberries alongside.