These elegant fingers are perfect served with mid-morning coffee.

Ingredients: (Makes 8)

For the cookies:

• 115 g/4 oz unsalted butter, softened
• 28 g/1 oz icing sugar
• 140 g/5 oz plain flour
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting:

• 115 g/4 oz milk chocolate
• 85 g/3 oz unsalted butter
• 175 g/6 oz icing sugar
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/Gas mark 5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl beat the butter and icing sugar together until smooth. Stir the flour and vanilla into the creamed mixture.

Spoon the mixture into a large piping bag fitted with a medium star nozzle. Pipe sixteen 7.5 cm/3 inch fingers, well spaced apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes until pale golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Dip the ends of each cookie in the chocolate and transfer to a wire rack to set. Combine the butter, icing sugar and lemon rind and beat until soft peaks form. Spoon the creamed mixture into the piping bag. Pipe the frosting onto the base of half of the fingers, then sandwich together with the remaining fingers. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Store unfrosted in an airtight container for up to 2 days.