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Checkerboard biscuits
These biscuits are half and half chocolate and almond in a checkerboard pattern, both in colour and flavour.
146 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
1 2⁄3 cup flour - 2
2⁄3 cup butter - 3
2⁄3 cup caster sugar - 4
1 egg - 5
1 tablespoon powdered cocoa - 6
1⁄3 cup ground almonds
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 1 2⁄3 cup flour, 2⁄3 cup butter, 2⁄3 cup 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 1⁄3 cup 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 1 tablespoon 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: Buckwheat almond biscuits, Clafoutis batter, Tomato foccacia, Puff or flaky pastry (pâte feuilletée), Gingerbread, ... See them all 202
Butter
Like these other recipes: Caramelised apple custards, Soft apple cookies, Apple and whisky crumble, Ramekins with almonds, apples and lemon, Kervallon soup, ... See them all 474
Caster sugar
Like these other recipes: Strawberry, kiwi and mascarpone verrines, Lemon and grated apple tart, Foie gras ballotine, Butter cream, Pavlova, ... See them all 361
Ground almonds
Like these other recipes: Strawberry and rhubarb crumble, Sweetcrust pastry (pâte sablée), Beurre d'escargot, Almonds pyramids, Gâteau Nantais, ... See them all 46
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