Place the butter, icing sugar and salt in a bowl and mix on low, until well combined.

Add the cocoa powder, and mix again on low until mixed through. Then turn mixer to medium speed and mix until light and fluffy.

Add vanilla and brandy and mix again until well-incorporated, and still soft and fluffy.

Spread a thin layer of chocolate buttercream on the bottom of your lined loaf pan (or any other dish that you're using with similar dimensions).

Add the milk and brandy to a separate bowl. Then place a few cookies in the milk for no more than 3-5 seconds (the cookies should NOT be completely soaked through and disintegrate). Place these cookies in a layer over the buttercream

Spread another layer of chocolate buttercream, followed by the milky Maria cookies.

Repeat until you reach the top, and end with a layer of cookies (this layer should be well packed - and only if you are hoping to unmold the dessert before serving). There should be some leftover buttercream to decorate the outside of the cake.

Cover and let it chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Optional - if you need to unmold your chocolate biscuit pudding, unmold it onto a serving platter and apply an extra layer of chocolate buttercream to smoothen the sides and top.

Drizzle with chocolate sauce and place some roasted and coarsely chopped cashew nuts on top.

Cover and leave in the fridge until ready to serve.