Instructions

• Soften 200 g butter to room temperature if needed. Melt 100 g black chocolate (70%) in a bain-marie, then set aside to cool until lukewarm or room temperature.
• In a mixing bowl, cream the 200 g softened butter with 150 g sugar until smooth and fluffy.
• Add 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 pinch of salt to the butter-sugar mixture and beat until evenly combined.
• Gradually add the cooled melted 100 g chocolate to the mixture and stir gently until uniform.
• Add 400 g flour in batches, mixing after each addition, until the dough comes together. Stop adding flour when the dough is firm but still soft and not sticky.
• Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
• Remove the chilled dough from the fridge, roll it out to about 0.3 cm (0.12 inch) thickness, and cut out rounds with a cookie cutter. Transfer the rounds to the prepared tray, leaving space between them.
• Bake the cookies 8–10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack and let them cool completely.
• For the topping, melt 200 g black chocolate with 50 g butter in a bain-marie, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool slightly until spoonable but still pourable.
• Place a spoonful of the chocolate-butter mixture onto the top of each cooled cookie and spread gently, leaving some of the cookie exposed if desired.
• Immediately sprinkle candied fruit on top of the still-wet chocolate so it adheres. Let the topping set before serving.