Cherry Chocolate Mandelbrot (Dairy-free)

Recipe from Nosh on This: Gluten-Free Baking from a Jewish-American Kitchen, copyright © Lisa Stander-Horel and Tim Horel, 2013. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment.

This recipe was inspired by my best friend’s mother, who was the guru of all things Jewish pastry and was, luckily, our next-door neighbor. In the usual fashion of how Jewish recipes are shared, her note to me read, “Add cherries and chocolate, then add more.” We did, and this is the resulting recipe. The combination of cherry and chocolate is brilliant and makes a spectacular Mandelbrot. The cookies last for a week and the flavors improve with age.

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

   Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. With a wooden spoon or strong silicone spatula, beat together the shortening and sugar in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Stir in the dry ingredients and finish mixing the dough. Stir in the chocolate and cherries.

   On the prepared baking sheet, with wet hands, form the dough into three logs 5 cm (1 inch) high and 6 cm (3 inches) wide. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

   Preheat the oven to 177° C (350° F). Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. The logs will not be brown. Let cool thoroughly on the pan. Slice gently with a serrated knife into 1-inch-wide pieces. Place the slices .6 cm (¼ inch) apart on the baking sheet.

   Return the pan to the oven, turn down the temperature to 150° C (300° F), and bake for 25 minutes. Turn off the oven. Leave the cookies in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes more to continue browning. Keep an eye on them and remove the pan once they are toasty brown. Transfer the cookies to a rack and let cool completely.