Zebra-striped shortbread cookies for a delightful treat

Ingredients for Zebra-striped shortbread cookies

• 280 g plain flour, divided

• 10 g kosher salt, divided

• 40 g Dutch-process cocoa powder

• 280 g unsalted butter, room temperature

• 135 g caster sugar

• 30 g icing sugar

• 1 large egg yolk

• 5 ml vanilla extract or paste

• 1 large egg, beaten to blend

• 50 g sanding sugar (any colour)

How to make Zebra-striped shortbread cookies

1. Whisk together 170 g of plain flour and 3/4 tsp of salt in a medium bowl.  Whisk the cocoa powder, the remaining 125 g of plain flour, and the remaining 3/4 tsp of salt in another medium bowl. These will form the bases for your chocolate and vanilla doughs.

2. Beat 250 g of unsalted butter, 200 g of granulated sugar, and 100 g of icing sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Add 1 large egg and 2 tsp of vanilla extract, then beat until smooth.  Divide the mixture evenly between the two bowls of dry ingredients, approximately 250 g in each.  Scrape the vanilla mixture back into the stand mixer bowl (keeping the mixing bowl) and beat on low speed just until combined.  Return to the reserved bowl and repeat the process with the chocolate mixture.

3. Arrange two large sheets of baking parchment on a work surface.  Spoon one-quarter of the chocolate dough into the centre of each sheet and pat it into rough 15 cm x 5 cm rectangles.  Dollop one-quarter of the vanilla dough on top of each chocolate slab and pat into rectangles of the same size and shape, creating two layers for each.  Repeat the entire process to create four alternating layers.  Tightly press the stacked dough into cylinders approximately 4 cm wide and 20 cm long, using the parchment to assist you.  Wrap the logs in cling film and chill until very firm, at least 2 hours.

4. Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 180 °C (160 °C for fan ovens).  Working one at a time, unwrap the dough and brush the surface with beaten egg.  Carefully sprinkle the surface with sanding sugar and roll the logs in the sugar to coat well, pressing the dough into the sugar to ensure it sticks.

5. Slice the logs into rounds about 6 mm thick, rotating after every few cuts to keep the slices round.  Arrange the cookies on baking trays lined with baking parchment, spacing them 5 cm apart.  Bake, rotating the baking trays top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until the edges are just set, 12–14 minutes.  Allow to cool on the baking trays.

6. The dough can be made up to 3 days in advance; keep it chilled.  The cookies can be baked up to 5 days in advance; store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

Disclaimer
While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.