1. Cream the butter and the golden syrup in a warmed bowl until the mixture becomes soft

2. Push the sugar through a course sieve or break the lumps with a wooden spoon

3. Gradually beat the sugar, egg and the vanilla into the mixture

4. Sieve the flour and the baking powder

5. Stir the flour into the mixture, working it in until a soft dough results

6. Turn the mixture onto a pastry board

7. To make large cookies, divide the mixture in two and roll each half into a sausage shape about 50mm across

8. For small cookies, divide the mixture into 4pieces and roll each piece into a sausage about 25mm across

9. Wrap the dough in greaseproof paper and chill for 1 to 2hours or until needed

10. Grease 3 large baking sheets and use a sharp knife to cut the dough

11. Place the slices of dough on the greased baking sheets leaving enough room for the dough to spread

12. Bake in the preheated oven for 15minutes (large cookies) and 10minutes (small cookies) or until they start changing color at the edges

13. Cool on the baking sheet for about 2minutes then transfer them to a wire rack using a spatula

14. Chop the dates and heat them gently in the pan together with the lemon rind, lemon juice, water and cornflour

15. Cook while stirring over low heat until it is soft and spreadable

16. Sweeten to taste with the muscovado sugar and leave it to cool

17. Sandwich the cookies with the date filling and serve

List of ingredients required:

6 oz(175g) butter
1 tablespoon golden syrup
5 oz (150g) dark muscovado sugar
1 beaten egg
A few drops vanilla essence
10 oz (275g) plain flour
1 level teaspoon baking powder

For the date filling:

8 oz (225g) stoned dates
Finely grated rind of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon, strained
4 to 6 tablespoons of water
1 level teaspoon of cornflour
A little muscovado sugar

The oven should be preheated to a temperature of 350F (180C)