COFFEE BUTTER COOKIES

3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened (12 ounces)
1 cup granulated sugar (6 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup warm milk
2 tablespoons instant coffee powder
3 teaspoons boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line three 12-by-16-inch baking trays with baking parchment or nonstick foil.

Place butter, sugar, salt and vanilla in mixing bowl, cream until very light in color and aerated. Before scraping the bottom and sides of the mixer with a spatula, always stop the mixer and tilt or lower the bowl.

Sift all the flour onto a tray covered with foil. Put the flour in a preheated oven until warm to the touch (approximately 2 minutes).

Add the flour and the milk on the lowest speed until well incorporated. Do not over mix. Divide the batter in half, keeping half in the bowl and placing the other half in a separate bowl.

Dissolve the instant coffee powder with the boiling water and mix into 1 of the 2 half batters and set aside.

Immediately pipe the vanilla batter in 4 rows lengthwise on the tray, keeping an equal distance apart from one another. Repeat on the other two trays.

Fill the pastry bag with the coffee batter and pipe lines of batter next to the vanilla strips, very close together. Make sure that the edges are on top of each other so they bake together.

Bake for approximately 16 minutes. Remove from oven. With a pizza cutter, cut the cookie strips across the 4 rows, approximately 1 1/4 inches wide, creating 12 cookies per row. Put back in the oven for another 5-6 minutes until the vanilla cookie part is golden brown.

When cold, pack in an airtight container. The cookies will keep fresh and crisp for at least 1 week at room temperature. You can also freeze them for 2 months.

Makes 100 to 120 cookies
Adapted from source: Love to Bake Pastry Cookbook by Ernest Weil