Two types of flavors combine to make
a distinctive cookie.  Light dough filled with almond flavoring, cherries and nuts is sandwiched between a chocolate, cinnamon, nutty dough. These take a little more time to prepare, but they get rave reviews.

Recipe adapted from Rose Naftalin's Holiday Goodies

Ingredients:

Dark Dough:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, finely chopped

Light Dough:

½ cup finely chopped dark raisins

¼ cup finely chopped golden raisins

12 finely chopped candied cherries.

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon pure almond extract

Directions:

1. Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan, then line with parchment paper.
   
   Dark Dough:
2. In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves together. Set aside.
   
   
3. In a small heavy saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips; stir constantly until melted so chips do not burn. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Or, place the chips in a microwave-safe bowl, use 50% power and stir frequently just until the chocolate is melted; do not overheat as the chocolate will burn easily. Set aside to cool slightly.
   
   
4. In a large bowl, combine butter and brown sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Add eggs; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add melted chocolate; stir to mix. Add flour mixture; stir until mixed. Add nuts, stir to mix. Set aside while mixing the light dough.
   
   Light Dough:
5. Chop the raisins and cherries; sprinkle the chopped raisins and cherries with 1 teaspoon flour to keep the fruit from sticking together. Set aside. Hint: Since the raisins and cherries get very sticky when chopping, sprinkle with the 1 teaspoon of flour before chopping to help cut down on the stickiness.
   
   
6. In a medium bowl, sift 2 cups flour, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
   
   
7. In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Add egg, water, vanilla extract, and almond extract; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour mixture; stir until well mixed. Add chopped raisins and cherries; stir until mixed. Set aside.
   
   Assembly:
8. Divide the dark dough in half. Place half the dark dough in the bottom of the loaf pan, packing it down evenly. Add all of the light dough, packing it evenly over the dark dough. Add remaining dark dough, packing it evenly over the light dough.
   
   
9. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
   
   Bake:
10. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets, or line baking sheets with parchment paper.
    
    
11. Grabbing the top edges of the parchment paper, lift dough from loaf pan, remove paper and discard. Cut dough lengthwise into thirds. Keep one third of dough out, wrap remaining dough in plastic wrap and return to refrigerator until ready to use.
    
    
12. Slice dough into ¼ inch slices and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 12 minutes or until cookies are set. Remove cookies from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.
    
    
13. Repeat with remaining dough.
    
    Makes about 9 dozen cookies
    
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