Pinwheel Cookies

These amazing pinwheel cookies were June month's challenge from the Home Baker's Challenge group. There were 4 recipes of different varieties of cookies and i took this one as my challenge, as i had long been waiting to make these sweet little pinwheels. I was always attracted to the design of these cookies whenever i saw them in pictures. When this challenge came up, i was so excited to make them.

Thanks to Viji for including this recipe for the challenge. I thoroughly enjoyed making them and it tasted amazing. If anyone is interested to know more about this home bakers challenge group, click here.

My kids enjoyed them a lot. It has become one of their favourite cookies that i make. I think even i am addicted to these cookies, that i finished off 2 or 3 just after it was baked and cooled....i was tasting... 'what did you think'? Then later on enjoyed more of them with my kids ;) My elder daughter has told me not to touch the jar until she reaches home from school.... She thinks that i will finish them off. :) :) You know.......at times, i too become a kid ;)

I had tried both pinwheel cookies and checker board cookies. My Checker board cookies came out in a different pattern... But i liked the new pattern on the cookies.....

I know, i know....don't be angry with me...I am going to give you the recipe... Tada.....Here it goes, friends....Bake and Enjoy!!!


Ingredients

1 and 1/2 cup Maida/All purpose flour                                            
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Butter (at room temperature, unsalted)
3/4 cup Sugar (granules)
1 Egg (beaten)
1 tsp Vanilla essence
2 tbsp Cocoa powder
1/4 cup Semi sweet Chocolate (melted and cooled to room temp.)


Method

There are two doughs to be prepared. One is vanilla flavoured and the other one is chocolate flavoured.

For the vanilla flavour:    

• Sift maida, baking powder and salt. Keep this aside.
• In a bowl, add butter and sugar. Beat well using and electric beater till light ad fluffy.
• Add in the egg and vanilla essence. beat again until blended properly.
• Add in the flour (little by little) and mix well till everything is combined properly.
• Remove half of the dough and keep in another bowl for adding chocolate flavour.
• Cover the vanilla flavoured dough in a plastic cling film and keep in the fridge for about 1 hour. 

For the chocolate flavour:

• Take the dough which we had kept aside in a bowl. We will be using this to add the chocolate flavour.
• Melt the semi sweet chocolate and cool it to room temperature.
• Add the cocoa powder into it and mix well.
• Add this chocolate+cocoa mixture into the dough and mix well so that everything is mixed properly.
• Cover this chocolate flavoured dough in a plastic cling film and keep in the fridge for about 1 hour.  

Making Pinwheel cookies:

• Take the vanilla flavoured dough and roll it into a 12 inch square. You can do this by placing the dough in-between two butter paper.
• Keep this in the fridge to set.
• In the mean time, take the chocolate flavoured dough and roll it into a 12 inch square.
• Take the vanilla flavoured rolled sheet from the fridge and peel off the top butter paper.
• Flip the chocolate flavoured rolled sheet on top of the other. 
• Place a butter paper on top (if needed) and roll again gently, so that both the sheets stick together to form one sheet. (Don't roll too hard, because both the sheets will blend into each other and you won't get the pinwheel effect)
• Roll the sticked sheet from one end to form a big log.
• Place the log in the fridge for about 10 minutes so that it will be easy to cut.
• Pre-heat oven in convection mode at 180 degree Celsius.
• Later, cut the log into 1/4 inch thick slices.
• Place them on a butter paper lined baking tray by giving enough space in between as the cookies will spread a bit.
• Put the baking tray in the preheated oven for about 10 - 12 minutes.
• The cookies will be soft to touch, but must have changed its colour.
• Take off from the oven and cool it in a wire rack.
• Enjoy them once cooled.

You can make Checker Board Cookies also with the same dough. Only the assembling part is different. 

Checker Board Cookies

• Make the vanilla flavoured and chocolate flavoured dough as mentioned above.
• Roll both the dough separately into a log and press lightly to make a 1/2 inch thick square log. You can do this by placing them on a butter paper.
• Place them in the fridge for about 10 - 15 minutes.
• Later, cut both the flavoured dough lengthwise into half.
• Place both the flavoured dough in a checker board pattern ie. one strip of vanilla dough, beside one strip of chocolate dough. Top of the vanilla strip, place another strip of chocolate dough and on top of the chocolate dough, place another strip of vanilla dough. (pattern shown below)

 

• Squeeze together gently so that all the pieces stick together.
• Wrap the prepared dough tightly and keep in the fridge for 1 hour.
• Pre-heat oven in convection mode at 180 degree Celsius. 
  
• Later, slice the log into 1/4 inch thick slices.
• Place them on a butter paper lined baking tray by giving enough space in between as the cookies will spread a bit.
• Put the baking tray in the preheated oven for about 10 - 12 minutes.
• The cookies will be soft to touch, but must have changed its colour.
• Take off from the oven and cool it in a wire rack.
• Enjoy them once cooled.

 

Note:

1. When i made the dough, the vanilla flavoured one was bit sticky. If it happens for you, mix some almond powder or any nut powder.
2. Don't forget to keep the dough in the fridge in between, so that it will be easy for you to handle.

Thanks for visiting

Happy Cooking!!

 Sending this to "Guru's Give away - Kids Special"