Marbled Viennese Whirls

These melt-in-the-mouth morsels are just the thing to serve with a pot of tea.

Easy and elegant

Hands-on time 30min, plus cooling. Cooking time about 15min. Makes about 17 sandwiched biscuits

◆ 250g (9oz) unsalted butter, very soft

◆ 50g (2oz) icing sugar, sifted

◆ 1tsp vanilla extract

◆ 250g (9oz) plain flour

◆ 50g (2oz) cornflour

◆ 1tbsp cocoa powder

for the filling

◆ 75g (3oz) unsalted butter, softened

◆ 150g (5oz) icing sugar, sifted

◆ 1tbsp milk, room temperature

◆ 15g (½oz) dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), grated

1 Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5. To make the biscuits, using a handheld electric whisk, beat together butter, icing sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl until light and very fluffy. Sift in the plain flour and cornflour, and beat until just combined.

2 Split mixture in half. Into one bowl, sift the cocoa powder and beat to combine. Line 2 large baking sheets with baking parchment.

3 Fill one side of a piping bag (fitted with a 1cm (½in) closed star nozzle) with the plain mixture, using your hands to shape it. Squash the chocolate mixture into the other side of the piping bag.

4 Pipe 2cm (¾in) swirls on to the lined sheets, spacing apart. The mixture will be

very stiff – it helps if you seal the piping bag and squeeze from the middle rather than the top. Chill for 20min until firm. Bake for 15min until lightly golden. Cool on trays for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 5 To make the filling, in a large bowl, beat together butter, icing sugar and milk with a handheld electric whisk. Beat in the grated chocolate. Pipe or spread chocolate over bases of half the biscuits, then sandwich together with remaining biscuits. Serve. PER SERVING 259cals, 2g protein, 16g fat (10g saturates), 26g carbs (13g total sugars), 1g fibre GET AHEAD Keep sandwiched biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.