Look To The Cookie -- Homemade Black & White Cookies

In season five of the legendary sitcom Seinfeld, there is an episode called "The Dinner Party." Basically, the gang (Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer) are invited to a dinner party and they decide to bring wine and cake. Geroge and Kramer are tasked with buying the wine, whilst Elaine and Jerry go to Schnitzer's Bakery to buy a chocolate babka. While they are there, Jerry gets the urge to buy a black and white cookie. He proceeds to give Elaine a philosophical lesson in the art of enjoying a black and white cookie. (Click here to see a clip of this). In this scene, Jerry's mantra is "look to the cookie."

Anyway, the reason I bring this up is because my boyfriend is a MASSIVE Seinfeld fan and a lover of black and white cookies. A while back, I was telling R that if he ever wants me to bake something, all he has to do is ask. He instantly told me of his love for black and white cookies and showed me the clip that I have posted above. I was recently in the mood to bake and decided to surprise R with his beloved black and white cookies.

This was my first time making this Manhattan classic and it was super easy! Icing the cookies was a little bit tricky, but by no means difficult. The key is to ice the flat bottom side of the cookie, not the rounded tops --- I learned that the hard way. Otherwise, very straightforward and rather fun to make!

Ingredients for Cookies:
- 1.25 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup buttermilk*
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 7 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temp 
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg

*If you don't want to buy buttermilk or can't find it, just milk whole milk with lemon juice. 
Directions for cookies:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare baking sheets. 

2. In a bowl, mix: flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. Combine buttermilk and vanilla extract. 
4. Using a mixer, beat together butter and sugar. Mix until light and fluffy. 
5. Add egg and beat into mix. 
6. Add the flour mixture alternatively with the vanilla buttermilk. Be sure to begin and end with the flour. Mix until smooth. 
7. Prepare your baking sheet. I lined mine with parchment paper. 
8. Drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto your baking sheet. If you have one, I found that an ice cream scoop worked beautifully. 
9. Let cookies bake for about 15 minutes or until they turn golden. 
10. Allow the cookies to cool slighting on baking sheet before transferring to wire rack.
Ingredients for Icings:
- 2 & 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4~6 tbsp water
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder 
Directions for Icings:
1. Mix confectioner's sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and 2 tbsp of water together. (You may need to add more water in order to get icing consistency). 
2. Pour half of the icing mixture into a separate bowl and add about 1 tbsp of chocolate powder. 
3. Now that you have your white and black icing, flip the cookies over to the flat side and ice carefully. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Gordon Ramsay's Cheesy Potato Dauphinoise

Image
I am fairly impressionable --- at least when it comes to cooking. When I see a recipe or a dish that intrigues me, I become obsessed and determine to give it a go. I have been obsessively watching Come Dine With Me  for at least one month and a dish that keeps popping up is: Potato Dauphionoise. I've eaten this side dish a couple times in my life, but not recently. It looked so delicious and easy to make, and I was determined to try my hand at this posh looking side. As per usual, I consulted the internet to look for recipes. As most of you know, I am obsessed with Gordon Ramsay. He is always my go to. If he doesn't have a recipe for something I want to make, I'm always feel a little lost, but luckily, that wasn't the case this time. I was delighted to have stumbled upon Gordon Ramsay's "Gratin Dauphonoise." He has yet to let me down and you know what, this dish was a winner! Something that I am adding to my repertoire.  This dish was incredibly e
Read more

Truffle Cream Cheese & Chive Spread

Image
So, I realize that this post is rather late…but I figure, better late than never, right? Over New Years, I was searching for recipes online, when I stumbled upon a new Gordon Ramsay recipe. As we all know, I LOVE Gordon Ramsay, in fact, I should probably just change my username to that.  Chef Ramsay has a recipe for a deliciously decadent, but oh so easy truffle cream cheese spread, and I couldn't resist. The ingredients are simple, you may even have most of them, and it takes no more than ten minutes to make. Oh, and it's delicious.  Whether you are entertaining guests or spending time alone, this spread is perfect for all occasions. It's great with bread and crackers, it's also delicious with grapes. The fluffiness of the cream cheese/sour cream, coupled with the decadence and amazing aroma of the truffle oil makes this a really luxurious spread that everyone will love! For Gordon Ramsay's video, please click this link .  Ingredients: - small con
Read more

Tawaraya - One of Kyoto's Most Famous and Oldest Ryokans

Image
On this visit to Kyoto, rather than stay at a hotel, my parents and I were fortunate enough two spend two nights at the very famous and exclusive Tawaraya ryokan . Tawaraya is considered one of the most famous and posh ryokans in Japan. Past guests have included Steven Spielberg, Alfred Hitchcock, and even Marlon Brando! (Many famous Japanese people have stayed here as well, but these three just popped into my head). We made our reservation one year in advance, but even then, we had difficulty getting a room!  To quote Wikipedia: "A ryokan ( 旅館 ) is a type of traditional Japanese inn that originated in the Edo Period (1603 ~ 1868), when such inns served travelers along Japan's highways. They typically feature tatami-matted rooms, communal baths, and other public areas where visitors may wear yukata and talk with the owner…Most ryokans offer dinner and breakfast, which are often included in the price of the room. Most visitors take their meals at the ryokan, which usuall
Read more