Miss Edie of
life {in} grace http://www.lifeingraceblog.com/ has set up this wonderful virtual Christmas Cookie Swap! In the spirit of Cyber Christmas I am excited to participate with a recipe for New York's famous Black and White cookies. OK, so you may think, "Why, Black and White Cookies for Christmas?" Well, my New York City in-laws are visiting us here in East Tennessee, so I thought I would post this recipe in their honor. On a side note, these little yummy cookies would make the perfect little Santa cookies if you colored part of your white icing red and replaced the chocolate portion of the cookie with the red icing, then piped chocolate eyes and a nose. It might just make Santa's night all the more jolly! Just a thought! So without further adieu the recipe for
New York's Famous Black and White Cookie from
Smitten Kitchen:
Yield: About 2 dozen very large cookies, 60 medium
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 bitter or unsweetened chocolate
1 teaspoon light corn syrup.
1 to 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (optional)
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. At this point, depending on the chocolate you used and your preferences, you might find the chocolate color to be a little lighter than the “black” of a black-and-white cookie. If so, I find that a tablespoon or so of cocoa mixed in darkens the color nicely.
6. Ice the remaining half of the cookies with the chocolate frosting. I find that the chocolate–especially with cocoa in it–is especially prone to getting too dry, so don’t worry about whisking in an extra teaspoon of that hot water from time to smooth it back into a shiny frosting.
7. Let the frosting set. Store in an airtight container.
Last November I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, an autoimmune form of arthritis that causes severe pain in the joints as well as rapid deformation if left untreated. Basically the body attacks the joints as if it were a foreign presence. RA can rapidly debilitate a person and chooses to strike young children, older people and anyone in between. OK, so this is not a PSA about rheumatoid arthritis, but rather a testimony of gratitude that I was born in this day and age and have so many wonderful treatments out there to help me cope with my disease. 
The same year I received my diagnosis of RA, I participated in the Jingle Bell Run to benefit the Arthritis Foundation. This wonderful organization provides research and support to millions of people who are suffering from all forms of arthritis and is the reason there are so many known treatments for arthritis. People still suffer every day from arthritis. I do. But my life is much better because of the medications I am able to take because of the research provided by doctors and scientist who are supported by the Arthritis Foundation.
I appreciate all the support I have received from friends, family and the Arthritis Foundation in helping me to live the best life I can live with less pain. I am thankful too that I can help support the Arthritis Foundation through participating in the Jingle Bell Run.
This year I again had a team of 1. I was The Southern Jingle Belle. I hope next year to have more members on my team so that we are truly The Southern Jingle Belles. But I still had a wonderful time! And thanks to my supporters, I raised over $400 for the Arthritis Foundation. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Below is my photo archive of my participation in the Jingle Bell Run 2010. 
Santa was even there supporting the Arthritis Foundation.
All participants tied jingle bells to their shoes.
It was absolutely an awesome day to walk in downtown Knoxville!
It was amazing to see all the participants!
The walkers in the race started after the runners.
It was wonderful to finish the Jingle Bell run and know I had done it! Thanks again everyone! I am truly blessed!
