Recipe: Ginger Checkerboards

Ginger Checkerboards
Recipe By : Family Circle
Serving Size : 48

3/4 cup unsalted butter -- room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsulphured or mild flavored molasses
3 cups flour
1/4 cup corn syrup

Beat together butter and sugar in large bowl until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Beat in ginger, pepper and salt. Divide mixture in half and set half aside. Beat molasses into remaining half of butter mixture in bowl. On low speed, beat in 1 1/2 cups of the flour until a dough forms.

Transfer dough to sheet of plastic wrap; top with second piece of wrap.
Roll into a 10x8-inch rectangle, about 1/3-inch thick. Transfer to baking sheet;
refrigerate 1 hour, until hardened.

Beat corn syrup into reserved half of butter mixture. On low speed, beat in
remaining 1 1/2 cups flour until a dough forms.

Transfer light-colored dough to plastic wrap; top with second piece of wrap. Roll into 10x8-inch rectangle. transfer to baking sheet; refrigerate 1 hour, until hardened. Repeat with darker dough.

To assemble: Remove dough from refrigerator; discard plastic wrap. Using sharp knife, slice both doughs lengthwise into thin strips about 1/3-inch wide. Lay light-colored strip on work surface. Lay darker strip next to it, then another light strip next to it; gently press strips together. Top strips with second and third row, alternating colors, to make a block, 3 strips wide and 3 strips high; gently press together. Refrigerate or freeze until hardened. Repeat with remaining strips until all dough is used, alternating colors in base row; 2 dark strips and 1 light, 2 lights and one dark, etc. If dough tears or rips, gently press together and freeze for 15 minutes to harden.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove blocks from refrigerator or freezer; slice crosswise into 1/4-inch thick cookies. transfer to ungreased baking sheets; reshape slightly if necessary.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the lighter portions are slightly golden. Let cool slightly on baking sheets on wire rack. transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.