Cherry and almond 'bourbons' recipe

• 225 g (7.9oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 125 g (4.4oz) icing sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 egg yolks
• 270 g (9.5oz) plain flour, plus extra for rolling
• 30 g (1.1oz) cocoa powder
• 100 g (3.5oz) dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped
• 50 ml (1.8fl oz) whipping cream
• 1 tbsp almond liqueur
• 1 tsp pure almond extract
• 1 tsp unsalted butter, softened
• 340 g (12oz) cherry jam

1. To make the cookie dough, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and light using an electric handheld whisk.
2. Add the vanilla and mix again.
3. Then add the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well between each addition and scraping down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and beat until smooth.
5. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and bring it together, forming a ball with your hands.
6. Wrap in clingfilm, flatten into a disc and chill for at least 4 hours or until needed.
7. When you're ready to move on, preheat the oven to 170C/gas mark 3.
8. Roll out half of the dough to a thickness of about 2 mm on a lightly floured surface.
9. Using the cutter, stamp out as many cookies as you can from the dough and arrange on the prepared baking sheets.
10. Gather the scraps together and set aside while you roll out the remaining dough.
11. Stamp out and arrange the cookies, as before, then lightly knead all the scraps together, roll again and cut out as many cookies as you can.
12. Chill the cookies on the sheets in the fridge for 1015 minutes, then bake on the middle shelves of the preheated oven for about 12 minutes, or until crisp.
13. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool slightly on the baking sheets for 34 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
14. To make the filling, tip the chopped chocolate into a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan or pot of barely simmering water.
15. Add the cream, almond liqueur, almond extract and butter, and heat for about 3 minutes.
16. Stir gently until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
17. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
18. Scoop the filling into a piping bag fitted with the plain nozzle.
19. Turn half of the cookies so that they are writing side down and pipe the filling in a border around each cookie leaving a clear space in the middle.
20. Spoon cherry jam into the centre of each piped cookie, then top with the remaining plain cookies and gently press together.
21. These are best enjoyed straight away.

unsalted butter, icing sugar, vanilla, egg yolks, flour, cocoa, chocolate, whipping cream, almond liqueur, almond, butter

Taken from www.lovefood.com/guide/recipes/45359/cherry-and-almond-bourbons-recipe (may not work)