Instructions

To make the French cookies

1. Place the butter, sugar, water, and salt into a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir the mixture and heat until the butter has melted, but do not let the mixture boil.
3. Take the saucepan off the heat and let it cool to about room temperature, which might take 15-20 minutes.
4. When the butter mixture has cooled, add the vanilla extract.
5. Place the flour and baking powder into the bowl of a stand mixer with the flat paddle attachment.
6. Slowly add the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, and beat on low speed until everything is incorporated into a soft dough.
7. Place a large sheet of clingfilm on the work surface and scoop the dough onto the clingfilm.
8. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.
9. When you are ready to bake, bring the dough to room temperature first so that it will be easier to work with. This might take 30-60 minutes, depending on how warm the room is.
10. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
11. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
12. Place the dough between two sheets of baking paper and roll out the dough until it is quite thin, about 3mm thick. You want the dough to be as thin as possible as they will rise a bit upon baking.
13. Cut out shapes from the dough using a fluted rectangular cookie cutter, and place the cut shapes onto the lined baking tray.
14. Bake the biscuits for about 12 minutes, or until they are lightly golden.
15. Leave the biscuits on the hot baking tray for about 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the chocolate toppings

1. Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie (or in a bowl over a pot of simmering water).
2. Place the silicone chocolate moulds on a large flat tray which can fit in the fridge.
3. Carefully fill the moulds with the melted chocolate.
4. Transfer the moulds (on the tray) to the fridge to help it set.
5. To unmould the chocolate, I find it easiest to take the moulds out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before removing the chocolate. If you try this when the chocolate is still fridge-cold, they might crack. I also find it helpful to unmould the chocolate over a large plate or wire rack.
6. If you don’t have enough chocolate moulds, you will have to make the chocolate toppings in batches.

To assemble the Pétit Écolier Cookies

1. Melt the extra 50 g (1.5 oz) of chocolate in a small saucepan, and let it cool slightly. This chocolate will be used to “glue” the chocolate topping to the biscuits.
2. Remove the chocolate toppings from their moulds.
3. Once the melted chocolate has cooled a little, dot a small amount on the cookie and place the chocolate topping on top. If the melted chocolate is too warm, it might melt the chocolate topping.
4. Leave the cookies to set before serving.