Black & White Cake Cookies

Since birth I have had a special bond with my grandmother. Her and I are two like souls and some of my favorite memories include her and our outings. One of my favorite things to do, is listen to her stories of when she was a child growing up in New York. My grandma is from Puerto Rico and came to America with her sisters at a very small age. Their mother had come out earlier to stabilize a home for her family. My grandmother and her family flourished and she never skips the details of their life as Puertoricans making a home in New York City.

One story I favor is about my grandmother when she was just a school girl. Her and her sisters would save their change to buy sweets from their favorite vendors in the city. My grandmother says she loved the black and white cookies the best. Apparently, you could buy them from a street vendor and they would be wrapped in wax paper. I think they were 10 cents. Go figure.

I love listening to her stories so much, I can replay them in my head with her New York/Spanish accent. Since my grandmother lives far, I decided to recreate her love for black and white cookies. I've perfected the recipe (and put my own spin on them) and I can't wait to bake her some when she comes to visit for the holidays!

I would like to share with you the recipe! Everyone should get to try one of these fabulously simple cookies!

Black & White Cake Cookies

What You Need

`5 cups cake flour

(cake flour is a must. it is super fine and gives the cookies a cake like texture)

`1 tsp baking powder

`2 sticks butter )salted is fine, whatever you have)

`4 large eggs

`1 cup whole milk

`1 tsp pure vanilla beans

(I like to use real vanilla beans for a specific flavor and texture. Though vanilla extract is fine)

Directions

`sift together the flour, baking powder and vanilla beans

`cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy

`beat in the eggs one at a time

`slowly add the dry ingredients until batter has formed

`drop tbs portions of dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet

`bake for about 15-20 min (or until the edges of cookies are light brown)

`let the cookies cool completely

For the icing....

To make the cookies black and white I use milk/white chocolate. The traditional way is to mix powdered sugar with water for one side. Then mix the chocolate and powdered sugar for the other side.

`4 cups powdered sugar

`1/2 cup water

`1/2 melted milk chocolate

However, I like using melted milk chocolate and white chocolate for both sides. I love the texture the chocolate gives and sorry but my weakness is white chocolate.

`Just melt 1/2 of both white and milk chocolate chips. You can do so in the microwave. Heating for 1 minute at a time until the chocolate is glossy and smooth.

`Then just use a small spatula or spoon and smear on the chocolate sides.

You can try them either way. I encourage you to get creative and even change up the colors. That is what baking is all about!