Checkerboard Cookies
Checkerboard cookies (in the foreground of the photo) are easy to make when you have equal amounts of vanilla and chocolate doughs. Follow the directions exactly, especially with regard to the chilling times, and your reward will be perfect checkerboard cookies.
Makes about 100 cookies
1 batch French Vanilla Sablés dough (see below)
1 batch Dark Chocolate Sablés dough (see below)
1 egg white for adhering the dough
3 to 4 cookie sheets or jelly roll pans lined with parchment or foil
Press the French Vanilla Sablés dough into a 1-inch-thick square, then wrap and chill. Do the same with the Dark Chocolate Sablés dough. Chill the doughs for several hours or up to several days.
When you are ready to form the cookies, remove the vanilla dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and on a floured surface roll it out to an 8 x 12-inch rectangle, about 3/8 inch thick. Slide the dough onto a cookie sheet, cover it with plastic wrap, and chill it until firm again, about 30 minutes. Repeat with the chocolate dough. The dough may remain chilled for several days at this point as long as you have not already chilled it for a long time; if it is adequately covered, it won’t dry out.
Remove the vanilla dough from the refrigerator and paint it with lightly beaten egg white. Slide the chocolate dough over it and put a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet on top of the stack of dough. Gently press the pan down so the two layers of dough adhere.
Immediately cut the layered dough in half, making two 8 x 6-inch rectangles. Paint the top of one rectangle with egg white and place the second one over it. You now have four alternating layers of vanilla and chocolate dough. Repeat the gentle pressing with the pan, then wrap and chill the dough several hours before continuing.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a cutting board. Using a long sharp knife cut the dough across the 6-inch side into sixteen 3/8-inch-thick slices.
Place one of the slices of dough cut side down on the work surface, so that the four alternating stripes of dough are facing upward. Paint the dough with egg white and stack another slice of dough on top of it, making sure that the slices alternate: If the first slice is chocolate, white, chocolate, white from left to right, turn the second slice so it is white, chocolate, white, chocolate from left to right. Moisten the top slice and stack another slice on top of it. Again make sure they alternate in colors. Moisten the top slice and stack another slice on top of it. Again make sure they alternate in colors. Moisten the top slice and stack a fourth and final slice on top of it, again making the colors alternate. Repeat with the remaining slices of dough. You will have four stacks.
Gently press each side of each stack of dough to square it and wrap and refrigerate for several hours. They may be well wrapped and frozen at this point—defrost in the refrigerator before continuing.
When you are ready to bake the cookies, set the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Slice the cookies 1/4 inch thick, turning the stack of dough often so it doesn’t become squashed from the weight of the knife.
Arrange the cookies on the prepared pans about an inch apart in all directions and bake them for about 10 to 12 minutes, until they have puffed somewhat and become dull and feel firm to the touch. Slide the papers from the pans onto racks.
After the cookies have cooled, store them between sheets of parchment or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.
FRENCH VANILLA SABLÉS
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until well mixed, light colored, and fluffy, about 4 or 5 minutes, then beat in the vanilla and egg yolk. Continue beating until very smooth, about 2 more minutes.
Scrape the bowl and beater well and beat in the flour.
DARK CHOCOLATE SABLÉS
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup alkalized (Dutch process) cocoa powder, sifted after measuring
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
In a bowl combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir well to mix.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until well mixed and fluffy, about 4 or 5 minutes, then beat in the vanilla and egg. Continue beating until the mixture is very smooth, about 2 minutes. longer.
Scrape the bowl and beater well and beat in the flour mixture.