Source: The All-American Cookie Book by Nancy Baggett
Makes 24 servings.
Preparation time: 2 hours
Tips: Plan for 4 hrs. for frosting to set dry.
Ingredients
Preparation
3 cups all -purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup unsalted butter (1 stick + 2 2/3 Tbsp)
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon lemon extract
1/3 cup sour cream
Quick vanilla and chocolate Fondants: (see note 1)
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
5 cups powdered sugar, sift after measured, more if needed
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line sheets with parchment paper or Teflon sheet, or generously grease several (4) baking sheets. Linings work best.
1) In medium size bowl, mix flour, salt and baking powder, set aside.
2) Using mixer at medium speed beat sugar, butter and shortening until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, vanilla, corn syrup and lemon extract, beat until incorporated.
3) Beat in half the flour mixture until evenly incorporated. On Low speed , beat in sour cream. Beat or stir remaining flour mixture, just until blended and smooth. Let the dough stand to firm up for about 5 minutes.
4) You may use a heaped 1 1/2 inch diameter scoop and drop dough into sheet or, using a scant 1/4 cup measure dough, shape into balls with greased hands, dough is sticky. Place about 6 cookies per sheet, you should have enough dough for approx. 24 cookies .Place on the baking sheets, spacing about 3 1/2 inches apart. Using your hand, press and pat the balls to about 3 1/4 inch in diameter.
5) Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, in the middle of the oven for 10 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned at the edges and the tops just spring back when lightly pressed in the centers. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack and let stand until the cookies firm up slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to wire rack. Let stand until completely cooled.
For the fondant: (see note 1)
1) In a medium heavy saucepan. bring 1/2 cup water and the corn syrup just to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla until completely smooth. Place the chocolate in a small, deep bowl. Pour 2/3 cup of the hot vanilla fondant over the chocolate. Stir until chocolate is partially melted. Pour another 1/2 cup of the vanilla fondant over the chocolate. Stirring constantly, thin the chocolate fondant to a fluid but not runny consistency by adding 3 to 4 teaspoons of hot water, a little at a time. Stir until the chocolate melts completely and the water is incorporated.
2) Set the wire racks with the cookies over wax paper to catch drips. Using a small., wide-bladed spatula, spread, or table knife, immediately ice half of each cookie with the chocolate fondant ( If the fondant stiffens as you work, thin it by thoroughly stirring in a few drops of hot water. If the fondant cools completely, rewarm it over low hear, stirring.)
3) If necessary, adjust the consistency of the vanilla fondant by stirring in additional powder sugar or hot water until fluid but not runny. Ice the second half of each cookie with the vanilla fondant. Let the cookies stand until the icing sets, at least 2 hours and preferably 4 hours.
Store the cookies in a single layer or layered between wax paper in a air tight container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month.
NOTES : For a tidy dividing line between the black and white icing, put a small amount of chocolate fondant in a paper cone or pastry bag fitted with a fine writing tip. Pipe a straight line across the cookies, so they are divided in half. Ice one side up to the line with chocolate and the other side with vanilla.
1) One half recipe maybe sufficient for one cookie recipe if spread thinly. Leftover fondant may be refrigerated for a couple of weeks.
Makes about 24 (4" to 4.5") cookies
New York Black and Whites
