Sablé infiniment chocolat

Makes 40-60

• 150 70% cocoa baking chocolate such as Valrhona Guanaja
• 175g flour
• 30g cocoa
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 150g butter
• 120g light brown sugar
• 50g caster sugar
• 0.75 tsp fleur de sel
• 0.25 tsp vanilla extract

Step 1
The centre should be soft.

Step 2
Push the chocolate flavour to the limit.

Step 3
Chop the chocolate with a serrated knife.

Step 4
Sift the flour, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda together.

Step 5
Put the butter in a bowl and soften with a spatula.

Step 6
Add the chocolate, sugars, fleur de sel and vanilla and mix well, then incorporate the flour-cocoa-bicarb mixture.

Step 7
Mix rapidly until combined, without overworking.

Step 8
Divide the dough into three equal parts and roll each piece into a 15- to 20cm-long sausage.

Step 9
Wrap each piece in clingfilm and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Step 10
Heat the oven to 170C/335F/gas mark 3½.

Step 11
Remove the plastic film from the dough and slice into 1cm-thick discs.

Step 12
Place the discs on a baking tray lined with cooking parchment and bake for 11-12 minutes.