the urban baker: Black & Orange - Happy Halloween!!!

We love Halloween! Every year we do our annual neighborhood "thing" and this year I hosted. Some years it's lasagna, other years it has been chili, but this year we went with a baked ziti, Caesar salad, garlic bread pizza and veggies. It's fun to have everyone over. It is fun to get out the decorations and it is fun to see all the kids in costume.

The vibe was definitely different this year. All of the adults were sitting at one table and the kids were all sitting at another table. I was amazed and surprised at how "calm" all the kids were behaving. In the past, it was a sea of children - all shapes and sizes - screaming and running, acting all crazy and out of control. This year, they were sitting there, eating their food and actually having conversations, laughing and listening to one another. It was quite remarkable. Sadly, they are growing up. Regardless of their age, they still got into the spirit of the holiday.

I had been wanting to make black and white cookies, again, after my disastrous attempt in late June. I had found some recipes on the Internet that looked decent and was already to try them when I stumbled upon a recipe in Desserts by the Yard (Sherry Yard). After reading the recipe, I was sold. After tasting the end result I felt complete. This is the PERFECT cookie recipe with the PERFECT (alas!) glaze. When I was frosting the cookies I knew these were the one. It was love at first sight (and bite) and for me, there is no turning back.

I made this ultimate classic recipe "black & orange" in the spirit of Halloween.

ingredients:

1 cup cake flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

6 oz. unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 large egg, room temp

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

vanilla/chocolate icing

2 1/2 cups plus 1 tsp confectioner's sugar

1 Tbls. light corn syrup

2 Tbls. hot water

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

2 Tbls. unsweetened cocoa powder

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Line baking sheets with parchment

2. Sift together flour, cake flour, & baking powder

3. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar at med speed until fluffy. Scrape sides of the bowl. Add the egg and vanilla and mix.

4. In 2-3 additions, beating on low speed, add flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Incorporate.

5. I made small cookies and used a small ice cream scooper. Leave a few inches between each cookies.

6. Bake for 8 minutes, rotate pan and bake for another 4-6 minutes until the edges are slightly brown. Cool cookies and then transfer to a wire rack.

7. When cool, ice cookies. Mix conf. sugar, corn syrup, water and vanilla until smooth. I used a little more of each ingredient to get the right consistency. In a separate bowl, melt chocolate over a pan of simmering water. When melted add half of the white frosting to the chocolate and mix.

These would also be cute at the holidays. Blue and white or green and red. These are super yummy!