Pumpkin Slice-and-Bake Cookies

For the orange centre

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  
• 1 large egg yolk
  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
  
• 20 drops red food colouring
  
• 20 drops yellow food colouring
  

for the chocolate section

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Method

• First, make the dough for the orange pumpkin centre. In a food processor, pulse together the flour, powdered sugar and salt. Add the butter and continue to pulse until it is a mealy texture.
  
•  In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, vanilla and food colouring. With the food processor running, drizzle in the egg yolk mixture and process until it becomes a dough. Turn it out onto a clean work surface.
  Shape the dough into a 22cm long round log, then flatten slightly so it becomes an oval shape. Slice off a small bit of the dough on the end and roll it out into a long skinny snake. Place this on top of the oval so that in a cross section, it becomes the pumpkin’s stem. Place the dough in the freezer while you make the chocolate dough. 
  
•  To make the chocolate dough, pulse together the flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar and salt. Add the butter and continue to pulse until it is a mealy texture.  
  
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and vanilla. With the food processor running, drizzle in the egg yolk mixture and process until it becomes a dough. Turn it out onto a clean work surface.
  Roll the dough into 22cm long skinny snakes. Stick these snakes around the perimeter of the orange dough, then roll the entire log a bit to smooth it out. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and freeze 20 – 30 minutes.
  Preheat oven to 180°C. 
  
• Slice the log into 1.5cm-thick discs and place them on a baking sheet one inch apart. Bake for about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.