Ingredients

• 275g/9¾oz plain flour
• 40g/1½oz cocoa powder
• ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp flaked sea salt
• 200g/7oz unsalted butter
• softened and diced
• 50g/1¾oz caster sugar
• 200g/7oz light brown sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 85g/3oz dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa solids)
• finely chopped
• 40g/1½oz mint-flavoured candy cane
• roughly crushed
• 250g/9oz dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa solids)
• 3-4 mint-flavoured candy canes
• crushed to a coarse powder
• to sprinkle (optional)

Directions

• For the dough
• sift the flour
• cocoa and bicarbonate of soda into a medium bowl. Grind in the salt and stir. Set aside.
• Put the butter in large mixing bowl and
• using an electric mixer
• beat until smooth and light. Add the sugars and vanilla extract
• and beat for 2 minutes
• or until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until the dough looks sandy (which is what sablé means in English).
• Add the chocolate and candy cane to the bowl
• then mix. The dough should look almost like soil; it should not have formed into one large ball. If mixed for too long the biscuits will be tough.
• Tip out the dough onto a work surface and gently press together. Divide in half and roll into two logs
• about 4cm/1½in thick. Wrap each log in cling film and chill for 3 hours
• or until firm. (Alternatively
• wrap the second log in brown paper and tie the ends up. Freeze the dough for baking at a later date.)
• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Line three baking trays with baking paper.
• Using a thin
• sharp knife
• cut the logs into rounds about 1cm/½in thick. Put the biscuits onto the baking trays
• leaving 2cm/¾in between each one. Bake for 10–12 minutes
• or until set on the outside but soft in the centre.
• Leave the biscuits to cool on the trays for 10 minutes
• then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• To decorate
• line a baking tray with baking paper. Temper or melt the chocolate. Dip each biscuit halfway into the chocolate
• allowing the excess to drip off. Put onto the prepared baking trays and sprinkle with a little crushed candy cane. Leave to set. The biscuits will keep for up to a week stored in an airtight container.