Checkerboard Cookies

Makes: 108 cookies (9 dozen)

Ingredients:

5 1/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions:

Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, fully incorporating until adding the next.

Add vanilla.

Add flour mixture and beat until just combined.  It may be necessary to finish mixing with a rubber spatula or your hands.

Divide the dough in half and knead the cocoa into one of the halves.

Divide the two halves of dough in half again so that you have 2 each of the vanilla and the chocolate.

Form each portion into a rectangle, wrapping each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours, minimum.

Dough can be refrigerated for up to one day.

Remove one rectangle each of the vanilla and chocolate dough and allow them to soften on the counter for 15-20 minutes.

Using parchment paper or a very lightly floured surface, roll the vanilla with a floured rolling pin into a rectangle 12 X 5-inches and 1/2-inch thick.

With a pizza cutter, cut the dough into (9) 1/2-inch wide strips.

Repeat the process with the chocolate portion of the dough, rolling it out into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle that measures 12 X 5 inches.  Cut into (9) 1/2-inch thick strips.

Form two checkerboard logs by alternating vanilla and chocolate strips.  Each log will have a total of nine strips.  The strips need to be handled extremely carefully as they may break.  I returned some of the dough that I was not currently using to the fridge to chill while I worked with the other dough.

Cover both logs with plastic wrap, transfer to cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

After the logs have been refrigerated for 2 hours, remove the remaining vanilla and chocolate dough and allow to sit on counter to soften for 15-20 minutes, leaving the logs in the refrigerator.

On parchment paper, roll the vanilla dough into a 12 X 6-inch rectangle that is 1/3-inch thick.

Place the refrigerated log with the vanilla corners into the center of the vanilla rectangle with long sides parallel.

Using the parchment paper to assist you, fold the dough up and around the log, pressing firmly along all sides to secure.

Gently roll the finished checkerboard log from side to side to form sharp corners.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to obtain the best uniformed cookie.

Repeat process with chocolate dough and remaining checkerboard log.

At this point the logs can be frozen for later baking.  If doing so, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before using.

When ready to bake, place a rack in the center of the oven.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare a cookie sheet by lining it with parchment.

Remove one log from the refrigerator and using a very sharp knife, cut into slices 1/4-inch thick.

Place slices on prepared cookie sheet leaving a 1-inch space in between them as they will spread.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes being very careful to watch that they do not brown.  

You just want them to be set.  If they brown, the contrast between the chocolate and vanilla will lose its' effect.

Place the cookie sheet on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before transferring the cookies to the wire rack to cool completely.

Click Here for a picture step-by-step view.

Source: 365daysofbaking.blogspot.com / bakingobsession.com/