Ischler/Isler

I fancied some biscuits today and I wanted something "bad" for my waistline(I deserve some Sunday's treat). I haven't had Isler for a while, as you can't really find this in England. Isler is basically walnut/almond biscuit rounds sandwiched together with jam, and covered with chocolate. You can have these shortbread like biscuits in Hungarian patisseries all over the country. They are lush to eat and they can keep for a long time ....if you can resist.

Ischler/ Isler

Ingredients (makes 16)

200 g plain flour

150 g grated walnut/almond

200 g butter at room tempeature

2 egg yolk

100 g icing sugar

pinch of salt

approx 200 g apricot jam/seedless raspberry

200 g dark chocolate

50 g butter

Mix the flour, grated walnut, icing sugar in a big bowl then add the butter, egg yolks and the pinch of salt. Try to mix the dough as quickly as possible to avoid overworking it and melt the butter with your warm fingers. Shape a ball, cover it with cling film and place it to the fridge for at least an hour, but if you leave it to rest overnight that is even better.

Preheat the oven to 180 C. After resting, work the dough for a minute on a floured surface than roll it to 4-5 mm thick. With a 7-9 cm cookie cutter cut out rounds and place them on a baking paper covered baking sheet.

Bake them for 20-30 minutes or until they are golden. Leave them to cool completely. Sandwich two rounds with some apricot jam. Leave the biscuits for a few hours to harden, so the biscuit rounds won't slide on the jam when you are dipping them.

Place a bowl over a boiling water in a heavy based pan and put the chocolate in the bowl stirring until melted. Add the butter, which will give a nice shine to it. Decorate with half walnuts if you wish, but it isn't necessary.