Cookie Love

I have a big old holiday cookie swap tomorrow, and normally would be all about cranking up the holiday tunes and busting out several homemade batches this evening, but since my weekend involved a trip to the emergency room and subsequent patient care and incapacitation (we are all fine, but word to the wise, be very careful when walking the dog on the ice!),  I am not so much in a leisurely baking place this particular work week. Vermont Cookie Love frozen dough to the rescue (tell me you aren't stoked, cookie swapping friends)!  However, for those of you with time to bake for your holiday party or cookie exchange this week, this recipe (adapted from the Smitten Kitchen) is a great one for my all time favorite cookie, the Black and White.

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/3 to 1/2 cup water
3 ounces very unsweetened chocolate
1 teaspoon light corn syrup.
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray, or line with parchment paper.
2. In large mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter. Mix by machine or hand until fluffy. Add eggs, milk and vanilla and lemon extracts, and mix until smooth.
3. In medium bowl, combine cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Stir until mixed. Add dry mixture to the wet in batches, stirring well after each addition. Using a soup spoon, place heaping spoonfuls of the dough 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake until edges begin to brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool completely.
4. Boil a cup or so of water in a small pot. Place confectioners’ sugar in large, heat-safe mixing bowl. Gradually stir in enough boiling water to the sugar to make a thick, spreadable mixture. Err on the side of caution because a too-thin frosting is hard to undo. Leave remaing boiling water on the stove.
5. Spread frosting on half of the flat side of each cookie. Once all cookie halves have been frosted, place the bowl of the remaining frosting over the hot water and bring it back to a simmer (creating a double-boiler). Stir in the bitter or unsweetened chocolate until melted, as well as the light corn syrup.
6. Ice the other half of the cookies with the chocolate frosting.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Enjoy!

PS - Remember Damestar Baby, the fun children's clothing line that I mentioned in last Friday's post?  They are having a Holiday Sale!  Woo hoo!  Go check it out for the wee ones on your list, and they can be just as stylin' as this little gal.