How to:
Vanilla Sable
Preheat oven to 170ºC.
In a bowl, whisk salt and flour until well combined. In a larger mixing bowl, using a hand mixer cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla. Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Form the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for an hour.
Chocolate Sable
Using a cheese grater to grate the chocolate bar and then freeze the grated chocolate.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla and then combine the flour mixture and the chocolate with the butter mixture and mix until well combined.
Form the dough into a disc and wrap it in plastic. Refrigerate for an hour.
Checkerboard
Create a template by drawing a 9cm * 18 cm rectangle onto a piece of parchment paper.
Shape about half of the vanilla dough neatly inside the rectangle and then gently flatten with a rolling pin. Wrap with parchment paper and return it to the fridge.
Repeat the same steps with the chocolate sable.
Remove vanilla dough and use a ruler to measure out 1 cm markers on the short sides of the rectangle and using a sharp knife and a ruler cut the rectangle into strips.
Repeat steps with the chocolate dough.
Use egg wash to paint the insides of each strip of dough and then glue the strips together, alternating chocolate and vanilla. Wrap in parchment and freeze for 20 minutes.
Cut cookie squares about 1 cm thick. Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Roll out the excess dough to about 0.5 cm thick and cut out circles, stars or other fun shapes. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Icing:
Stir together the ingredients and divide into equal amount of small bowls as colours you want. Add the food colouring and start decorating.
Remember, if you do more than one layer of icing make sure that the first has harden! ^^