Saturday, September 03, 2011

Swirly cookies

swirledcookie

Shortbread cookies are traditional in Sweden, and can be varied a million different ways. They are often baked as checkerboard cookies, but I wanted to make it swirled instead. You can add more flavor if you want to - add some coffee to the dark dough, perhaps, and vanilla or lemon to the light one? They're good just as this too, though.

And I won't lie - they aren't the easiest cookies to make. Not that they're hard, but a bit finicky. The dough softens quickly, so you might have to chill it a few times.

Swirly cookies
about 40 cookies

Light dough:
200 g all-purpose flour
100 g butter
50 g sugar
2 g salt
1 egg yolk

Dark dough:
170 g all-purpose flour
30 g cocoa powder
100 g butter
50 g sugar
2 g salt
1 egg yolk

Make both doughs in a food processor - they shouldn't be overworked. Make the light one first, that way you don't have to clean it between batches.

Add butter, flour, sugar, salt, and cocoa (for the chocolate dough), and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and mix until the dough is just combined. Wrap in plastic and let it rest in the fridge for a little bit.

Knead it a little, and then roll out both doughs into same-sized rectangles. Place on top of each others, and chill for a little while again.

Roll, starting the long side. You want to make it nice and tight, with no air pockets, so press gently all the time. Chill the finished roll for a while.

Cut into 1/2-cm thick slices, and bake at 175°C for about 8-10 minutes.

Recipe in Swedish:
Snurriga mördegskakor

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Anne,
I tried your Great "swirly cookies" out. The end result is great. Its a great Sunday afternoon project :) . Worth the wait - Most definitely!
Tip for Aussie readers is to add a little more butter to ( not too much and be patient, it will come together!) - I Grew up with the checkerboard cookies,so I knew what to expect :).Keep up the Great work Love your work Anne!

StillTraveller said...

Oh these cookies are so cute. I will have to try it out this weekend! Thanks for sharing :)