Friday, June 4, 2010

HARMONY & June's Give-Away

The first time I had a Black & White was when I visited our daughter, Erin, in Manhattan when she was living there in the 90s.  I had heard of them on an episode of Seinfeld and I was intrigued by the cake-like cookie with it's harmonious glaze of both vanilla and chocolate.

Today, it reminds me of a Halloween when Kelly and her best friend, Kandyce, created their costumes for a school contest.  They were Salt and Pepper!  With the help of Kandyce's Aunt Dot, the costumes were made of a clear plastic in the form of a "bubble" that they filled with black or white balloons.

I needed a happy memory today as I sewed June's Give-Away.  I first made this pattern for a "Weekend Bag" for Kelly in March to hold her quilting supplies.  (I've since passed that first bag to Kandyce as a keepsake of her best friend.)  The bag is also the perfect size to hold a knitting or crochet project, but whatever you decide, as the Winner, know that it was sewed with love.  Remember, you have to post to be chosen.  Oh, have a Black and White Cookie and know the harmony in your life!

Black and Whites
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/3 cups cake flour
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 extra large egg
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.  In the KitchenAid, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla.  Sift together the flours and baking powder.  Add the flour and buttermilk alternatively, ending with the flour.  Beat until well incorporated.

Use a one-third cup sized scoop to drop the batter on the baking sheet.  Making sure you leave plenty of room in between because these cookies spread.

 Bake 8 minutes, then turn the baking sheet and continue baking another 8 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.
 Remove to a cookie rack and let cool completely before applying the glazes.
GLAZE
3 cups confectioners' sugar
4-5 T boiling water
1-2 T corn syrup
1 oz. Bittersweet Chocolate (at least 64% cocoa)
2 T Cocoa
Mix the first three ingredients in a bowl.  Divide the vanilla glaze in half, placing the other half in another bowl.  Melt the bittersweet chocolate in the microwave according to your model.  It took 35 to 40 seconds for mine.  Add the cocoa to the melted chocolate.  Then, add it to one of the bowls.  Add additional hot water to each bowl, as needed to create a glaze.  Additionally, add another 1 T of corn syrup to the chocolate glaze.  Use an off-set small spatula to spread the cookies, first with the vanilla, then spread the chocolate glaze to the other half of the cookie.  Enjoy!

16 comments:

  1. What a pretty bag and B/W cookies are yummy. I haven't had one in so long even though they are common in NYC.

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  2. Black and Whites are so good! They always remind me of a little deli we used to eat at. They had a fabulous bakery counter and I always got a black and white. I guess it's a running theme in my life :) Thank you for posting the recipe and the wonderful memory (Kelly and I won for best costume that year out of the entire school). My bag is a beautiful treasure.
    I love you!

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  3. Black and Whites are one of my favorite cookies! I used to take turns each time I ate one -- eating the black side first one time, and then the white side the next. Beautiful bag, Kandyce!

    xo Eileen

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  4. Eileen ~ This bag is my June Give-Away. I gave Kandyce the one I made Kelly in March...you could win this one!

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  5. Dear Susan,
    I enjoy hearing these stories about Kelly and Kandyce so very much! I was hoping to see a photo of the girls in their costume! : ) I will have to email Kandyce on that one! I think it is really beautiful that you have made this same bag for one of your readers, it is stunning. I am off to share this link!

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  6. Yum! I will have to give these a shot! I have never heard of them.

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  7. Those cookies look great! and it makes me want to find the Seinfeld episode they came from. :) The bag looks like the perfect size.

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  8. Molly ~ It's the one where they go to a bakery to bring a Babka to a friend's house. Jerry buys a Black and White, but later gets sick at his stomach! It's kind of gross, but the thought of a cookie with both vanilla and chocolate glaze stuck in my head!

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  9. wonderful xx love and hugs xxx great bad and yummy cookies x

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  10. Good evening Susan

    First of all the raw chocolate cookies were Delish~! You are one talented lady Susan. I can knit but boy do I struggle to sew. What a treasure of a giveaway. I have a great weakness for anything floral. I can see how Kelly must have loved this bag. ~Memories are heaven sent...

    Sending you much love Susan
    Love
    Suzanne

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  11. Well, my dear friend, this bag would be great to cart around your knitting. I made one for my sister and that's what she uses it for. Kelly did love the bag...in fact, she said it was the best thing I had ever made her!

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  12. I've never had a black and white, but they look wonderful. I will have to give them a try. The bag is beautiful, and I have been looking for something to carry my knitting it. I keep changing bags and baskets trying to find the right one.

    Blessings, Elizabeth

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  13. I TOTALLY remember that episode!!My grandfather used to buy me those cookies all the time. He called them half moon cookies <3
    Lovethe bag!

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  14. I think one of the best things about Black & Whites is that there are so many ways to eat it!!

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  15. Wow ...a feast for my eyes when this page opened! The bag is BEAUTIFUL, and the cookies will be made tomorrow! I remember these! :)

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