CHECKERBOARD COOKIE RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Lightly grease a square 8X8-inch pan.
• To make the cream cheese layer, put the cream cheese in a mixer bowl and mix with the paddle attachment until it's smooth.
• Add the rest of the cream cheese layer ingredients, beating well and scraping down and of the batter that dares try to escape up the sides of the bowl.
• To make the brownie layer, melt the butter and the chocolate together until smoothly melted.
• Put aside and let come to room temperature.
• Be patient, it's worth it.
• In a separate bowl from the cream cheese mixture, mix the eggs and the sugar until it's thick and a gorgeous lemon color.
• Add the chocolate mixture and mix well until combined.
• Again, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Add the flour, vanilla, baking powder, salt and the chocolate chips, mix well until combined.
• Pour half the chocolate mixture into the prepared pan.
• Dollop the cream cheese mixture over that.
• Don't worry if it doesn't cover the chocolate. It won't.
• Add the remaining chocolate mixture.
• Take a knife and gently draw it through the batters, from left to right and from top to bottom, making a checkerboard pattern.
• Don't allow the mixtures to combine, be careful.
• Sprinkle with the nuts.
• Bake in the oven until the sides, but not the tops, begin to brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.
• Don't wait until a tester comes out clean, if you do then you have overbaked and basically murdered the brownies.
• Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes, cut into 12 or 16 brownies, cover and refrigerate.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 3 quarter-sheet pans (or three 13-by-9-by-2-inch jelly roll pans) with cooking spray. Line each pan with parchment paper and coat the paper with cooking spray as well.
• Place the almond paste in the bowl of a stand mixer. Break it up into small pieces with a fork. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and add the butter and sugar to the bowl. Beat the mixture on high speed until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium, add the egg yolks, and beat until incorporated. Turn the mixer off and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until well combined. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.
• Clean the mixer bowl thoroughly and fit the mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter until thoroughly blended.
• Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the batter to a medium bowl, then transfer another 1 1/2 cups of the batter to a second medium bowl. Add the red food coloring to one of the bowls and stir until the batter is tinted throughout. Add the green food coloring to the second bowl and stir until the batter is tinted throughout. Scrape each of the three batters into one of the prepared pans, using the spatula to spread the batter to the edges. Bake, rotating and switching the positions of the pans halfway through, until the edges are golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool in the pans for about 5 minutes, then invert onto cooling racks and allow to cool completely.
• To assemble, place the green layer on a large cutting board or a large inverted baking sheet lined with wax paper. Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the top. Place the yellow layer on top and spread with the apricot preserves. If there are large chunks of apricots, remove and chop them up to make them more spreadable. Top with the red layer. Cover with plastic wrap and place a heavy cutting board on top to weight it down. Refrigerate overnight.
• Place the chocolate chips in a microwaveable bowl and melt in the microwave on low power about 2 minutes. Spread the chocolate on top of the cooled cake and let dry slightly. Trim the rim of the cake with a serrated knife to make clean edges. Cut the cake crosswise into twelve 1-inch-wide strips, then cut lengthwise into 1 1/4-inch strips. The cookies will keep, covered, up to 1 week.