Chocolate biscuits

Method

1 Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan oven) gas mark 4 and butter a couple of baking sheets. Cream the butter and two sugars together in the bowl of a food processor, then add the egg yolk, vanilla and orange zest. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda together, and incorporate into the egg and sugar mixture with the salt. Bring together into a ball.

2 Roll the dough into balls the size of a cherry between your palms and place well apart on the baking sheets, then flatten them slightly, again using your palm. Bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden, then gently loosen with a palette knife and leave to cool.

3 Gently melt the chocolate, butter and crème fraîche together in a bowl placed over a pan with a little simmering water in it. Smooth a teaspoon of this over the top of each biscuit, coating it as thickly as possible, then put aside in a cool place to set for a couple of hours. Store in an airtight container for up to a few days - they're particularly good chilled.

Recipe by Annie Bell