Rainbow cookies

Name: Rainbow cookies
Ingredients: 250 g butter or margarine; 1 tablespoon lard; 150 g granulated sugar; 2 eggs; 50 g candied orange peel; 100 g shredded coconut; 5 g saffron baking powder; 475 g plain flour; 100 g granulated sugar; 20 g colored sugar crystals

Dessert - Rainbow cookies by Sabina N. - Recipia

Rainbow cookies are shaped after the dough has chilled for at least two hours and baked at 175°C until lightly browned. Butter, eggs, lard, coconut and candied orange peel make the centers tender and fragrant, while colored sugar gives them their speckled look. I have them with my morning coffee, while they’re still plain, with nothing else on the plate. Prep: 25 minutes. Cook: 25 minutes. Rest: at least 2 hours. Total time: at least 2 hours and 50 minutes. Servings: 30. About 190 kcal and 2 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

250 g butter or margarine
1 tablespoon lard
150 g granulated sugar
2 eggs
50 g candied orange peel
100 g shredded coconut
5 g saffron baking powder
475 g plain flour
100 g granulated sugar
20 g colored sugar crystals

Preparation

1. Beat the butter or margarine, brought to room temperature, with the eggs, lard, 150 g sugar, candied orange peel, coconut and saffron baking powder until smooth. 2. Add 475 g flour and knead until a rich dough comes together. Cover it and chill for at least 2 hours. 3. Mix 100 g granulated sugar with the colored sugar in a bowl. 4. Heat the oven to 175°C and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Break off pieces of the chilled dough, shape them between your palms and roll the cookies in the colored sugar. 5. Arrange them on the tray and bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned. Leave them to cool before serving.

Notes

The size of the pieces affects the baking time: make them roughly the same volume, since small ones brown faster than large ones. For dough that’s easy to shape, the butter should feel soft to the touch but not melted; if you choose margarine, use one meant for baking, not for spreading. I don’t rush when rolling the pieces in the colored sugar; I turn them so the crystals stick all over. The dough can stay in the fridge overnight, so you can make it in the evening and bake the cookies before your morning coffee. Cooled cookies keep in a sealed tin for up to 3 days. For a different flavor, swap the candied orange peel for 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh orange zest; they’ll be less sweet. They contain gluten and eggs; if you use butter, they also contain dairy. You can serve them with unsweetened tea.