1 recipe basic cookie mix
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Directions
CHECKERBOARD SQUARES
melted chocolate or chocolate icing and white icing In large bowl of
electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg and vanilla. At low speed,
beat until mixture forms a dough. Divide dough in half; remove one
half from bowl. To dough in bowl, add cocoa powder; knead to mix
well.
On work surface, on separate sheets of waxed paper, roll each half of
dough to 9x6" rectangle. Using paper to lift dough, invert plain
dough onto top of chocolate dough. Remove paper from plain dough.
Using long chef's knife, cut doughs lengthwise into 2" wide strips.
Stack strips, removing waxed paper and alternating colors. Cut stack
lengthwise into three equal strips. Stack strips so colors alternate;
gently press stack so dough layers stick together. Wrap stack in
plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
Remove plastic wrap from dough; cut stack crosswise into 1/4" slices.
Place slices checkerboard side down on prepared baking sheets; bake 8
min or until golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool. With pastry bag
and writing, decorate cookies with dots of chocolate and icing.
Makes 4 dozen cookies.
Servings: 4 servings
Checkerboard Squares Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Cookie
The History of Recipes
It is possible to trace the history of written recipes far back into distant history, in truth as far back into history as early Egypt, and potentially, even further back. Having said that, mostly, these ancient cook books were just very basic pictorial recipes for meal preparation.
The truth of the matter is, the most ancient recipe discovered so far, according to experts in ancient history are some ancient tablets in the Sumerian language describing the preparation of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as making anyone who drank it feel `wonderful`. Later on, in The time of the roman empire around 25BC a roman called Apicius wrote a collection of documents which described recipes enjoyed by wealthy Romans. In his scrolls, Apicius tells us how the meals of wealthy Romans were separated into hors d`oeuvre, main course and desserts, something we still use today. He also describes how the ancient cooks made use of many different aromatic flavors, including some that we all recognise like basil, fennel and parsley. Later, we find a couple of interesting cookery books which appeared in the fourteenth century - a book titled `Forme of Cury`, and another named `Curye on Inglish`. Don`t be fooled by the titles though, these are not about the spicy food that is familiar to us all today, but instead descriptions of the types of food served to the rich people of the period. Later, in the fifteenth century, people returning from the crusades brought back many new foods and herbs from middle-east cuisine, including spices like coriander, parsley, and rosemary. The introduction of these new foods and spices prompted an increase in books on cooking, most of which are now in academic collections. During the following few hundred years, the powerful and wealthy tried to serve the most extravagent meals, and because of this the best chefs and their recipes increased in prestige. Notwithstanding that, it wasn`t until the nineteenth century the formal cooking and recipe books rose to prominence. The Famous Mrs Isabella Beeton in the UK, and the equally famous Fannie Farmer in the USA, dedicated the best years of their lives to assembling, trying out, and writing down recipes that were common in the better off homes of the day. By the time we get to the 1900s, cookbooks are increasing in popularity mostly as a result of higher levels of literacy, people having increased leisure time and a general increase in wealth. The arrival of television gave us celebrity chefs and the demand for the accompanying recipe books. And that neatly brings us to the present day and the internet revolution, allowing everyone to search through massive numbers of recipes like those on sites such as the one you are reading now. |
We hope you enjoy this Checkerboard Squares recipe.
