Checkerboard biscuits
These biscuits are half and half chocolate and almond in a checkerboard pattern, both in colour and flavour.
128K 23 4.7
Last modified on: March 8th 2012
Keywords for this recipe:For 20 shortbreads biscuits, you will need:
- 1
250 g flour - 2
125 g butter - 3
125 g caster sugar - 4
1 egg - 5
15 g powdered cocoa - 6
30 g ground almonds - Total weight: 595 grams
Change these quantities to make: 10 shortbreads biscuits 20 shortbreads biscuits 40 shortbreads biscuits 60 shortbreads biscuits
How long does it take?
Time required for this recipe:
| Preparation | Resting | Cooking | Start to finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour 24 min. | 2 hours 45 min. | 15 min. | 4 hours 24 min. |
At what time:
- When will I finish if I start the recipe at ... ?
When should I start for the recipe to be ready at ... ? - Work this out...
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 10 min.
Put 250 g flour, 125 g butter, 125 g caster sugar and 1 egg into a food-processor bowl. Knead until evenly mixed.
Stage 2 - 2 min.
Take out half the dough and set aside. Add 30 g ground almonds to the remaining dough and knead for a further 1 or 2 minutes until evenly mixed.
Gather the almond dough into a flattened cake, wrap in stretch plastic film and refrigerate for 2 hours (or overnight).
Gather the almond dough into a flattened cake, wrap in stretch plastic film and refrigerate for 2 hours (or overnight).
Stage 3 - 2 min.
Put the other half of the dough back in the bowl, add 15 g powdered cocoa and knead for a further 1 or 2 minutes until evenly mixed.
Stage 4 - 2 hours
Gather the chocolate dough into a flattened cake, wrap in stretch plastic film and refrigerate for 2 hours (or overnight).
Stage 5 - 5 min.
After this time, roll out the chocolate dough into a long rectangle about 1 cm (0.4 inch) thick.
It is best to use guide rules to help you do this (I'm using 2 iron bars here).
It is best to use guide rules to help you do this (I'm using 2 iron bars here).
Stage 6 - 25 min.
Then cut the dough lengthways into long strips 1cm wide.
Do the same with the almond dough.
Do the same with the almond dough.
Stage 7 - 5 min.
Use a deep cake tin or mould and lay a first layer in the bottom, alternating stripes of chocolate and almond.
Stage 8 - 30 min.
Moisten the top of this layer with a brush dipped in water.
Stage 9 - 45 min.
Arrange a second layer of alternate stripes, but the other way round. So, if the first layer began with a chocolate stripe, the second layer should begin with an almond one.
Continue alternating the strips in layers like this until you have used them all, moistening between the layers.
Put in the freezer for 45 minutes to firm up the dough a little and make it easier to cut.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
Continue alternating the strips in layers like this until you have used them all, moistening between the layers.
Put in the freezer for 45 minutes to firm up the dough a little and make it easier to cut.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
Stage 10 - 5 min.
After this time, remove the block of dough from the mould and cut into slices about 1cm thick.
Stage 11
Place the slices on a baking sheet.
Stage 12 - 15 min.
Bake for around 15 minutes 200°C (390°F), but do not let the almond part brown.
Remarks
As always with shortbread-style biscuits, it is important not to overcook them. They should still be slightly yielding and not completely hard and dry.
You can vary this recipe however you wish, using flavours other than chocolate and almonds, so use your imagination.
You can vary this recipe however you wish, using flavours other than chocolate and almonds, so use your imagination.
Keeping
A few days in an airtight tin.
Source
Home made.
Nutritional information
| Whole recipe | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Energetic value | Proteins | Carbohydrates | Fats |
| 2,633 Kcal or 11,024 Kj | 38 gr | 322 gr | 132 gr |
| 132 % | 15 % | 30 % | 20 % |
| Per 100 g | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Energetic value | Proteins | Carbohydrates | Fats |
| 442 Kcal or 1,851 Kj | 6 gr | 54 gr | 22 gr |
| 22 % | 2 % | 5 % | 3 % |
| Per shortbread biscuits | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Energetic value | Proteins | Carbohydrates | Fats |
| 132 Kcal or 553 Kj | 2 gr | 16 gr | 7 gr |
| 7 % | 1 % | 2 % | 1 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 20 shortbreads biscuits : 2.10 €
- Per shortbread biscuits : 0.11 €
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
 | Flour: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Lobster Thermidor, Chestnut and hazelnut biscuits, Finger biscuits, French Family Cake, Oat financiers for Louise, ... All |
 | Butter: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Welsh-style potato purée, Nicholas's fish, Canadian apple crumble, Potatoes with prawns, Eggs "en cocotte" with spinach, ... All |
 | Caster sugar: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Chocolate cream, Cherry clafoutis, Ciabatta, Butter cream, Chocolate sauce, ... All |
 | Ground almonds: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Apple Strudel, Amaretti, Macaronade mixture, Almond macaroon cake, Macarons (the original French macaroons) , ... All |
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