Eclipse Cookies

I might have missed the boat on getting this recipe out in time for this year’s eclipse, but you can save the recipe for the next eclipse in 2044! Or just make the anyway because who can resist chocolate and vanilla combined in anything?!

You can also use this recipe to make very stylish little checkerboard cookies. For even darker chocolate, use Dutch or alkaline cocoa powder which will give you a hue closer to an Oreo.

Eclipse Shortbread

1/2 c plus 1T powdered sugar

1 1/2 c flour

1/4 tsp salt

170g butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 T cocoa powder

• sift the flour and 1/2 c powdered sugar and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer. On low speed, add the butter to the dough, followed by the vanilla and mix together until it become a soft dough, then turn off the mixer.

• Remove half of the dough from the mixer and set aside.

• Add the cocoa powder and remaining 1T of powdered sugar to the dough left in the mixer and mix until everything is evenly combined.

• Using 2 sheets of baking parchment, roll out the vanilla dough into a rectangle about 7x5 inches.

• Now take the chocolate dough and a single piece of parchment and shape the chocolate dough into a 7 inch long cylinder- using the parchment paper to help shape it by wrapping my around the piece of dough and rolling until it is fairly even and smooth. Place the chocolate dough log and place it on top of the vanilla dough and wrap the vanilla dough around, trimming off any excess dough at the seam.

• Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes- not too long or the base will become flat and it will be difficult to round it out again, but long enough for it to become just firm enough to slice.

• Slice into about 18 rounds- though the thickness is really up to your personal preference. Place on a lined oven tray and bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven for 10-15 minutes or until just beginning to colour around the outsides.

• Cool (on a cooling rack or the tray) before handling as they are fairly delicate.

The same dough can be used to make checkerboard cookies- just make 2 ractanglar shapes the same dimensions including height and cut each rectangle into 5 equal lengths (you will end up with one extra length as you only need 9). Arrange the logs next to and on top of each other in alternate colours 3 squares wide and 3 squares high to create a checkerboard patterned block. Chill for an hour (or up to 3 days, or you can freeze at this point) before slicing off cross-sections and baking.