Checker board biscuits

These biscuits look very pretty and are easier to make than it looks. Just remember to cut the layered dough into 8 pieces. I made a mistake and only cut them into 7 pieces, so I had to cut and mend some pieces affecting my final look.

The biscuits are large, so if you prefer you can only layer two at the bottom and two at the top, which will give you smaller biscuits.

The biscuits have a light crumbly texture and it melts in your mouth.

It looks very pretty on a plate as a teatime snack. It also makes a pretty gift if 4 or 5 is stacked together, wrapped in cellophane and tied together with a ribbon.

Checker board biscuits check 5

If these sounds like too much trouble, simply divide the dough into two pieces. Add 30ml cocoa powder to the one piece and mix. Roll both pieces onto a square and place one on top of the other. Roll as you would a Swiss roll. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and cut into slices and bake as per recipe. You will now have pinwheels!

The above pic was sourced from the Internet

Ingredients

250g soft butter

180g castor sugar

1 jumbo egg, divided

10ml vanilla essence

350g cake flour

pinch of salt

20ml cocoa powder

Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC and grease two baking trays.

Beat the butter and sugar together.

Add the egg yolk and the vanilla essence and beat again.

Sift the cake flour and salt together and add to the butter mixture. Mix to form a dough.

Divide the mixture into three equal parts. Add the cocoa powder to one part and mix through till completely brown.

Roll the one white dough out into a square of 0.5 cm thick.

Roll the brown dough out into a square of 0.5 cm thick. Brush the white dough with the egg white and place the brown dough on top of the white square.

Cut into 8 equal lengths and put 4 lengths at the bottom to form a checker board pattern. (Brushing the sides with egg white).

Brush the top with egg white and place the other lengths on top to continue the checker board pattern.

Roll the remaining white dough out into a square wide and long enough to cover the bottom, sides and top of the checker board. Brush the checker board with egg white and cover with the last dough.

Cover with clingwrap and place into the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Cut into slices and bake in the pre-heated oven for 10 to 12 minutes.

Cool down on a wire rack and place into an airtight container until you want to serve the biscuits.