Ribbon Cookies By Donna B Of Summerville Of So Carolina Recipes

RIBBON COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar gradually. Add egg and vanilla, mixing well after each addition.
• In another bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly add to the butter mixture, making sure all ingredients are incorporated.
• Divide dough into three equal parts. Add a few drops of red food coloring to one third, mixing until the color is even. Add cocoa and pecans to one third, mixing well. Leave the other third plain.
• Line a loaf pan with wax paper or foil. Press the chocolate layer into the bottom of the pan, pressing firmly to make the dough as flat and even as possible on top. Add the plain dough to the pan, again making an even layer on top of the chocolate. On top of the plain dough, add the red, pressing down flat on top. Wrap the dough completely, leave it in the loaf pan, and chill over night, or until firm enough to slice.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove dough from loaf pan and place on cutting board. Cut the dough lenghth-wise, down the middle, so you have two long "bars" of dough. Put one bar back in the refrigerator, to keep chilled while you work with the other.
• Slice into about 1/8" slices, or thicker if you like them a little softer. The thinner they are sliced, the crispier they will be.
• Bake for about 10 minutes at 325 degrees. Take them out when the bottoms are just browned. Try not to overbake, or they will lose their pretty color.
• Cool on wire rack.

CHOCOLATE RIBBON COOKIES

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on med to high speed for 30 seconds.
• Add sugar, baking soda, and salt; beat until combined.
• Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla.
• Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer.
• Stir in the remaining flour.
• Divide dough in half.
• Knead the melted chocolate and nuts into half the dough.
• Knead the miniature chocolate pieces and rum flavoring into the other half of the dough.
• Divide each portion of dough in half (you should now have four"portions.") To shape dough, line the bottom and sides of a 9x5x3 loaf pan with waxed paper or clear plastic wrap.
• Press half the chocolate dough evenly into pan.
• Top with half the vanilla dough, the remaining chocolate dough, and the remaining vanilla dough, pressing each layer firmly and evenly over the preceding layer.
• Invert pan to remove dough.
• Peel off waxed paper or plastic wrap.
• Cut dough crosswise into thirds.
• Slice each third crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• Place cookies two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake cookies in a 375 degree F oven for about 10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are slightly browned.
• Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool.