Checkerboard Cookies

By norsegal8

Ingredients

• FOR THE VANILLA DOUGH:
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 ounce finely ground almonds
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• FOR THE CHOCOLATE DOUGH:
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 ounce finely ground almonds
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• FOR THE EGG WASH:
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon water

Details

Servings 18

Preparation

Step 1

MIX THE VANILLA DOUGH
With an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the salt and powdered sugar; mix on medium low speed until thoroughly combined, about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Reduce the speed to low and add the almonds, egg yolk and vanilla; mix till well blended. Add the flour; as soon as the dough comes together, stop the mixer.

Roll the dough between 2 sheets of waxed or parchment paper into an 8.5 x 11-inch rectangle to about 1/3-inch thick. Refrigerate the dough for several hours until firm.

MIX THE CHOCOLATE DOUGH:
Follow the instructions for the vanilla dough, adding the cocoa along with the gound almonds. Roll and chill as with the vanilla.

TO ASSEMBLE:
Remove the dough from the refrigerator, peel the paper from both sides of the dough and set the dough onto a clean sheet of parchment. Using a sharp, thin knife, slice both doughs lengthwise into square strips about 1/3-inch thick. If th dough starts to soften, freeze it briefly to harden it up.

Set up your workspace so that you have a baking sheet to work with in front of you, both doughs to one side, and the egg wash on the other side.

Lay a strip of vanilla dough lengthwise on the baking sheet; then lay a strip of chocolate dough next to that. Finally, lay another strip of vanilla dough next to the chocolate. Press the 3 strips together so that they stick to one another. Brush the tops with the egg wash. Lay a strip of chocolate on top of the first strip of vanilla, lay a strip of vanilla next to that, and then a strip of chocolate next to that. Press the strips so that they stick together. Brush the tops with egg wash. Make another layer of vanilla/chocolate/vanilla. Press the dough firmly to make sure that all of the strips are stuck together. Use the remaining dough to make more strips and more logs. Chill the logs in the refrierator for at least one hour.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. When the logs are hard enough to slice, remove them one at a time from the refrigerator. Slice the cookies about 1/4-inch thick. Set the squares about 1/2-inch apart on the cookie sheet. Bake until the vanilla parts are lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a rack.