Saturday I attempted my first "from-scratch" cooking feat. Having experienced a mild rash of success with baking in the past, I decided to ease myself in with a cookie recipe... black and white cookies.
I love cookies. ALL cookies. In fact, there is not a cookie I don't like. I may not grab the coconut cookie first, but don't be mislead... I will eventually eat it (after all the others have been eaten first). The black and white cookie holds a special place in my heart. Maybe because it combines two of the loves of my life... cake and cookies. It's a cake, it's a cookie, it's chocolate, it's vanilla. Really, does it get any better than that?
The path to baked goodness started with a stop at Publix where $20.91 yielded all the ingredients and tools needed to begin. If this next statement tells you nothing about my 'designer' kitchen, I don't know what will. My kitchen counter is home to the most beautiful, red Kitchen-Aid mixer known to man. Yet, I had to buy measuring spoons (that's right, I said measuring spoons!!) at Publix. Which probably tells you how often that beautiful red mixer actually gets used. Hey, I'm a form over function girl, always have been.
After a quick call to my cookie-chef sister to confirm the correct mixer attachment... I'm off! Not five minutes in... the apron is tied (yes, I wore an apron, thanks to Mrs. Susan Ford), the flour is flying, and the egg is on the floor. The egg is on the floor?!
If I were one to read 'signs,' surely this would have been one from the culinary gods! Yet, I persevered... an hour and a half later 8 very black and very white cookies resulted. The disappointment: I was supposed to get 16! I guess my measuring hand is a little heavy. Despite being double the expected size... they looked the part. But how did they taste? I'll leave those comments to the testing team.
If you care to try them yourself...
Black and White Cookies
Makes about 16 large cookies
For the Cookies
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
For Vanilla Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
1 Teaspoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Chocolate Glaze
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
3 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
To make the cookies:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a cup. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then add eggs, beating until combined well. Mix in flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately in batches at low speed (scraping down side of bowl occasionally), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix until smooth. Spoon 1/4 cups of batter about 2 inches apart onto a buttered large baking sheet. Bake in middle of oven until tops are puffed and pale golden, and cookies spring back when touched, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack and chill (to cool quickly), about 5 minutes.
Vanilla glaze:
In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon of corn syrup and 2 tablespoons hot water, until smooth.
Chocolate glaze:
In a separate bowl, melt the butter and the chocolate in a microwave for about 1 minute. Add the corn syrup and stir until smooth.
Once the cookies are cooled, face them all bottom side up of a clean surface. Spread half of the cookie with vanilla glaze and the other half with chocolate glaze. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to set.
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