Black & White Cookies - Bethany to Amanda

I've never been to New York. However, every time I see someone on T.V. in New York eating a Black & White cookie it reminds me a.) how I want to go to New York and b.) how when I go I want to get one of those cookies.

Well, instead of waiting for excess time or fortunes to allow me to jetset, I decided to try my hand at baking this New York staple. And while I can't say how authentic my version is, I think the cookies turned out pretty darn good.

Here's the recipe.

For the cookie:

1 1/4 Cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 Cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/3 Cup butter, softened

1/2 Cup sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

Cookie Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350.
2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
3. In your measuring cup, stir together buttermilk and vanilla. Note: make sure to always shake your buttermilk before using.
4. Cream together butter & sugar until pale and fluffy- approx. 3 minutes. Add the egg, mix until just combined.
5. Alternate additions of the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
6. Using an ice cream scoop, dollop out 1/4 cups of batter onto a buttered cookie sheet, make sure the cookies have lots of space- approx. 3 inches.
7. Using a wet spoon, flatten out your cookies to about 1/2" thick or so.
8. Bake until edges are golden-brown and tops spring back when touched, about 13-15 minutes.
9. Let cookies cool while you make the icing.

For the icings:

1 1/2 Cup powdered sugar

1/4 Cup whipping cream + 1/2 Tbsp., divided use

1 Tbsp. butter

1/4 tsp. vanilla

1 oz. chocolate of your liking, chopped

water, as needed

Icing Directions:

1. Sift powdered sugar into a large bowl.
2. Microwave 1/4 Cup cream and butter on high for 1 minute, stir until butter is melted.
3. Add butter mixture and vanilla to powdered sugar, stir to combine. Add water as needed, and beat until it is a nice consistency.
4. Microwave chocolate and 1/2 Tbsp. cream on high for 1 minute.
5. Add half of the white icing to the chocolate mixture, mix until combined.
6. Frost cookies half white first, then half chocolate.
7. Put the cookies in the refrigerator to harden.

Now all that's left is to decide which side to bite into first! Or, if you're like me you'll just make your first bite right down the middle because you're just too indecisive.

Happy (belated) September everyone!

Puzzle Cookies! -- Bethany to Marissa

So, before this cookie exchange began, I spent a lot of time looking through cookbooks and browsing online for awesome cookie ideas. I came across an amazing idea for puzzle cookies-- several sites had their own version-- an easter egg puzzle, an owl, or just simple puzzle pieces.

Then, for months, I ached for the perfect opportunity to try it out and just such an opportunity arose in June: my lovely little niece, Felicity’s 2nd birthday party. The party was Dr. Seuss themed, so I decided to make a rectangular puzzle (made from 4 individual cookie-puzzle-pieces) and to put a Cat-in-the-hat Hat on the cookie. I mean, you need a picture on a puzzle in order for it to be fun to put together right? That is assuming that you are the type of child who would want to play with your cookie puzzle first, and not just shove it in your mouth.

The puzzle cookies were the party favors, and were a huge success. I again waited for the perfect opportunity to make these cookies for the exchange, which means I needed to wait for the next time I got Marissa, because I knew little Gehrig would appreciate a puzzle cookie more than anyone.

So, here I go again making very yummy, cute, if time-consuming puzzle cookies. This time, for the images I’m going to make images little Gehrig might like: Genie’s lamp, a train, and a hot air balloon. This time I am making the whole puzzle the image, then cutting the image into puzzle pieces. Confused? The pictures will help...

Tools you’ll need: 1.) a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 2.) Dye of your choice 3.) Frosting spatula & sharp, thin knives 4.) Cookie cutter/stencil/picture of your choice to base your image from.

FIRST, make the sugar cookies, here’s the recipe I’m using:

SUGAR COOKIES
Ingredients:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture, and beat until combined. Add vanilla. Wrap dough in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured parchment paper, on a baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Bake until edges are golden, 11-13 minutes. While the cookie is still warm, cut into shape of your choice (the size is up to you) then cut each shape into puzzle pieces with a paring knife. Cool completely before separating.

NEXT, make your royal icing. Here’s the recipe I’m using:

ROYAL ICING
Ingredients:

• 2 Cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 ½ Tbsp. meringue powder
• ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼-1/3 Cup warm water

1. Beat confectioners’ sugar and meringue powder until combined. Add water and beat on medium to high speed until very glossy and stiff peaks form (6-8 minutes). If necessary to get desired consistency, add more powdered sugar to thicken or warm water to thin.

2. Separate into different batches and dye desired colors.

Makes about 1 ½ Cups.

WHEN your cookies are completely cooled, outline with black, if needed, and flood with desired colors. Separate cookies.

Now the hard part: re-cut your puzzle cookies through the frosting. I really don't have any tips for doing this, except try to remember where you cut the lines in the first place, or try to sneak a peak at the underside of the cookie for a reminder.

Place frosted cookies in the refrigerator until frosting is completely hardened.

THE END!! I hope Gehrig liked his cookies, and that they were recognizable after shipping. Happy August!

Cookie Count-up: 324

Brown Sugar Cookies with Almond Icing Glaze

This month I chose Brown sugar cookies with a almond icing glaze. Mostly because I already had all of the ingredients in my kitchen, and also because they sounded simple and satisfying...

See:

Sorta look like those oatmeal things you buy in a box, but of course much tastier.

By the way the rotation of who we are sending cookies to has come full circle and this will be the second time I will send cookies to Joanna! Can't believe I have been baking cookies every month for 6 months? Is it true?

Yep!

It has been a great half year of getting to try new recipes and recieving packages full of new flavors every month!

And my baking skills have improved significantly- I have even branched out to muffins and breads- wow!- I know.

The blog where I found the original recipe that I then altered is here:

http://www.cheekykitchen.com/2010/10/brown-sugar-cookies-with-maple-icing.html

ingredients:

FOR THE COOKIES:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup dark cane syrup
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cup flour

FOR THE ICING:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon Almond extract
2 tablespoons cane syrup
2-2.5 tablespoons milk

directions:

FOR THE COOKIES:
In a large bowl, beat together the butter, Karo, sugar and egg until very light and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and beat together until well mixed. Roll into golf-ball sized balls. Place 3 cookies on each cookie sheet and bake in an oven preheated to 375 degrees for 10-13 minutes, or just until the edges of the cookies are golden brown.

FOR THE ICING:
Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Spoon into a ziploc baggies. Snip off the corner of the bag and pipe onto slightly warm cookies. Allow to set for 20-30 minutes before packaging up cookies.