Shikai Maki Cookies

A while back I saw this great technic for making sushi, that was actually quite simple but created an impressive look. It's called the shitai-maki sushi. I like sushi but don't really know how do do it. On the other hand, I know how to make cookies...

I've used the same technic as showned on the pictures on how to roll the sushi, but with a butter cookie dough and some food coloring. As you can see I was very creative and name them Shikai-maki cookies! Aren't they cool?

SHIKAI-MAKI COOKIES

• 250 gr (90z) flour
• 100 gr (3.5 oz) butter
• 110 gr (3.9 oz) sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Food coloring (a few drops- I've used red and green)

Cream the butter (softened) with the sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well incorporated. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and add to the creamed mixture, mix on low speed or use a wodden spoon. Divede the dough into 3. Leave one natural and add to the other 2 parts, 2 different food colorings.
Wrap in plastic and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Roll squares or rectagules out of the colored doughs and put one over the other. Roll them as if it was a jelly roll and take to the freezer to harden (about 5-10 minutes) and so it's easier to cut.

Cut them into 4 pieces lenghwise and place 2 of them, side by side with one of the flat sides down on a piece of plastic wrap. Roll a long snail out of the white dough and place in the center. Top with the remaining 2 quarts of the "jelly roll". It should form a square shape, roll with the help of the plastic wrap. Check the pictures on the sushi post, it's really well explained there.

Take again to the freezer for about 10 minutes and then slice (about 1 cm- 0,5 inch). Bake 10-12 minutes on a 180ºC (350ºF) preheated oven.

I actually had this idea after coming across the sushi one second time when Indigo mentioned it to give an example of the kind of things she was hoping to get for the cool food event she's hosting: Whimsical Weird Wonderful (WWW). Go check it out!

I had some leftover dough from making a lot of butter cookies and so these were born.

I think it's only fair to send this to Happy Love Strawberry for the event. Only virtually, because they are all gone now (sorry Indigo), they were quite a hit with my cousins!

UPDATE: Check out the fun roundup here!