Checkerboard biscuits
These biscuits are half and half chocolate and almond in a checkerboard pattern, both in colour and flavour.
142 K 4.7/5 (23 reviews)
4 hours 25 min.
Easy
20 shortbreads biscuits
6 IngredientsLast modified on: March 8th 2012
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:
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 1 hour 25 min.
Resting: 2 hours 45 min.
Cooking: 15 min.
All in all: 4 hours 25 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
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
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 40 RDI=20 % | 320 RDI=30 % | 130 RDI=20 % | 2,630 RDI=130 % | 11,020 RDI: 130 % |
| Per 100 g | 6 RDI=2 % | 50 RDI=5 % | 20 RDI=3 % | 440 RDI=20 % | 1,850 RDI: 20 % |
| Per shortbread biscuits | 1 RDI=1 % | 20 RDI=2 % | 6 RDI=1 % | 130 RDI=7 % | 550 RDI: 7 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 20 shortbreads biscuits : 2.15 €
- Per shortbread biscuits : 0.15 €
Change currency: 
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
Like these other recipes: Shortbread tart with sweet apricots and rosemary, Lemon and lime cakes, Parmesan cauliflower cheese, Fougasse with bacon and Comté, Flaky brownie brioche, ... See them all 200
Butter
Like these other recipes: Crisp apricot and pistachio tart, Oatmeal cake, Almond macaroon cake, Sorrel soup, Spinach on toast with bechamel, ... See them all 466
Caster sugar
Like these other recipes: Mousse with two chocolates, Madeleines, Apple macaronade, Blackcurrant liqueur, Shortbread tart with sweet apricots and rosemary, ... See them all 360
Ground almonds
Like these other recipes: Almonds pyramids, Almond dacquoise, Beurre d'escargot, Strawberry and rhubarb crumble, Chestnut moelleux, ... See them all 45
Other recipes you may also like
Soft fruits in sabayon
This recipe is made by briefly cooking an assortment of soft fruits (raspberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, blueberries, currants...) with a little sugar to glaze them. They are served in a small dish, covered with a delicious sabayon which can be lightly "burned" on surface.February 21th 2011268 K3.9 50 min.
Finger biscuits
These small biscuits, that look a bit like savoy biscuits, are delicious alone or with Champagne, but are also the base for charlottes or Tiramisu.July 30th 2021343 K5 50 min.
Bouquet garni
Used very frequently in French cuisine, a secret of French chefs, it adds flavour to a lot of recipes, and it's easy to prepare. The basic principle is to make a small bundle of herbs, bind them in green leek leaves and to tie it up, so that the whole thing can be removed and discarded easily after...March 21th 2017418 K3.5 15 min.
Potato gratin
This classic French recipe is made with sliced potatoes baked in milk and browned on top.February 21th 20111.11 M 14.4 1 hour 50 min.
Four quarters
It's "the simpliest cake in the world", called four quarters, because it's made with 1/4 eggs, 1/4 sugar, 1/4 flour and 1/4 butter.February 21th 2011319 K3.7 1 hour 15 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-05-18)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.