Lime Checkerboards
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 large egg
- Finely grated zest of 1 lime
- 1/2 teaspoon lime extract or lemon-lime extract (optional)
- Green food coloring
- Whisk the flour and salt in a bowl.
- Beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, 3 minutes.
- Beat in the egg, lime zest and extract.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture.
- Transfer half of the dough to a separate bowl; tint with food coloring.
- Dust the dough with flour; roll out each color separately on floured parchment into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle.
- Freeze until firm, 15 minutes.
- Trim each piece into a 4 1/2-by-7 1/2-inch rectangle, reserving the scraps.
- Cut each rectangle lengthwise into nine 1/2-inch-wide strips.
- Lay 3 strips side-by-side on a baking sheet (white, green, white).
- Set 3 more strips on top, alternating colors (green, white, green).
- Top with three more strips (white, green, white).
- Build another log starting with green-white-green.
- Chill the logs.
- Gather the scraps, keeping the colors separate.
- Roll out each on floured parchment into a 5-by-8-inch rectangle, 1/4 inch thick.
- Wrap the green rectangle around the log with the white corners and wrap the white rectangle around the log with the green corners; trim the excess.
- Wrap the logs in plastic; chill 2 hours.
- Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
- Slice the logs into 1/3-inch-thick cookies; arrange 1 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until set, 12 to 14 minutes.
- Let cool 5 minutes; transfer to racks to cool completely.
- Photograph by Andrew Purcell
flour, salt, butter, cream cheese, sugar, egg, lime, lime, green food coloring
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/lime-checkerboards.html (may not work)