Ingredients:
150 g/ 5 oz butter
75 g/ 3 oz icing sugar
pinch of salt
200 g/ 7 oz plain flour
25 g/ 1 oz cocoa powder
1 small egg white
1) Preheat the oven to 190°C/ 375 F/ Gas Mark 5, 10 minutes before baking. Lightly oil 3~4 baking sheets. Place the butter and icing sugar in a bowl and cream together until light and fluffy.
2) Add the salt, then gradually add the flour, beating well after each addition. Mix well to form a firm dough. Cut the dough in half and knead the cocoa powder into one half. Wrap both portions of dough separately in clingfilm and then leave chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
3) Divide each piece of dough into 3 portions. Roll each portion of dough into a long roll and arrange these rolls on top of each other to form a chequer-board design, sealing them with egg white. Wrap in Clingfilm and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4) Cut the dough into 5 mm/ 1/4 inch thick slices, place on the baking sheets and bake in the preheated oven for 10~15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and leave to cool for a few minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and leave until cold before serving. Store in an airtight tin.
Helpful Hint:
when baking biscuits, use a fish slice or spatula to transfer the cut-out biscuits from the work surface to the baking sheets. Use heavy-duty baking sheets that will not bend or warp in the oven. The nonstick silicone baking sheets that are now readily available are ideal for baking biscuits. Follow the manufacturers' intructions for oiling.
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