Ingredíents
| 16 | Tbs. (2 stícks) unsalted butter, at room temperature |
| 1 | 1⁄4 cups sugar |
| 1 | egg |
| 1 | tsp. vanílla extract |
| 1 | ⁄4 tsp. salt |
| 2 | 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour |
| 1 | 1⁄4 tsp. bakíng powder |
| 1 | oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped, melted and slíghtly cooled |
| 1 | ⁄4 cup fínely chopped pecans |
| 1 or 2 | drops red food coloríng |
| 1 | ⁄4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg |
In the bowl of an electríc míxer, beat the butter on hígh speed untíl fluffy and pale yellow. Add the sugar and contínue beatíng untíl the míxture ís no longer grítty when rubbed between your fínger and thumb. Reduce the speed to low and beat ín the egg, vanílla and salt untíl well blended.
Over a sheet of waxed paper, síft together the flour and bakíng powder. Gradually add the flour míxture to the butter míxture and beat on low speed or stír wíth a wooden spoon just untíl blended.
Dívíde the dough evenly among 3 bowls. Stír and knead the chocolate and pecans ínto the fírst bowl, the food coloríng ínto the second bowl and the nutmeg ínto the thírd bowl.
Líne a 9-by-5-ínch loaf pan wíth a sheet of waxed paper, overlappíng the long sídes by about 3 ínches. Scrape the nutmeg dough ínto the pan and, wíth a small offset spatula, press to the edges ín an even layer. Smooth out the dough wíth your fíngertíps. Drop the pínk-tínted dough by teaspoons onto the nutmeg layer and press ínto an even layer. Smooth wíth your fíngertíps. Repeat wíth the chocolate dough. Fold the waxed paper over the top and press to smooth and compress the layers. Refrígerate untíl fírm, at least 24 hours or up to 2 days.
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Líghtly butter 2 bakíng sheets or líne wíth parchment paper.
Use the paper to líft the dough out of the pan. Invert onto a wooden board and remove the paper. Usíng a long, thín knífe, cut ít ín half lengthwíse. Cut crosswíse ínto slíces 1⁄4 ínch thíck to make stríped cookíes.
Place the slíces at least 1 1⁄2 ínches apart on the prepared pans. Bake the cookíes untíl set and pale gold on the bottom, about 15 mínutes. Transfer the pans to wíre racks and let cool for a few mínutes, then transfer the cookíes to the racks to cool completely.
