The recipe: Czech Ribbon Cookies

Czech Ribbon Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1½ cups sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2½ cups flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup chopped candied cherries

½ cup chopped toasted almonds

1 ounce sweet baking chocolate, melted

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

With a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla. Gradually add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix well.

Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Set each in a different bowl. To part 1, add the cherries. To part 2, add the almonds and melted chocolate. To part 3, add the poppy seeds.

Line a 10-by-5-inch loaf pan with aluminum foil or waxed paper, with a little extra hanging over the sides. Pat part 1 into the bottom as evenly as you can, followed by part 2 and then part 3. Cover tightly with the ends of the foil or waxed paper and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from the pan and peel off the foil or waxed paper. Cut dough in half lengthwise to create two 10-by-2½-inch logs; cut each log into thirds; cut each third into 8 even slices.

Place slices about 2 inches apart on ungreased or parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake 2 sheets at a time for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating pans about halfway through. Cool slightly on sheets before carefully removing to a cooling rack.

Makes: 4 dozen 2-inch-square cookies.

Test kitchen notes: Though you need to allow time for the dough to chill, these come together easily. There's a nice harmony of flavors in all those layers. And the small amount of dough yields a good amount of cookies. I and my in-laws (all of us part Czech) loved them.

The recipe here reflects a few changes to JoAnn's original, which called for shortening or margarine and didn't specify what kind of nuts. I used butter for better flavor and opted for toasted almonds. I also upped the amount of cherries and nuts a tad.

Since it's hard to buy such sparing amounts of cherries, nuts, chocolate and poppy seeds, you'll likely have enough left over for a second batch. May as well make two while you're at it.

—Adapted from a recipe submitted by JoAnn Ostransky of Springfield, Neb., and tested in a home kitchen by World-Herald staff writer Nichole Aksamit.

« Living

Share