Black and White Cookies

Imagine the hour and a half train ride to NY city, the hustle and bustle of Grand Central Station, the magnitude to the big city, your very first Broadway show.  Now imagine the whole time holding onto your daddy's hand for dear life because the big city scares you.  And then you stop in the most special bakery your eyes have ever seen and get the most wonderful cookie that your 8 years had ever tasted.  This is my memory of black and white cookies.  While fearing the fast passed life of the city I remember everything melting away for this... of course I was a complete copy cat and making my sisters favorite treat my own.

 Many of you may know how a sibling can be.  You are eternally bonded to them.  My sister has been my best friend from the moment I was born.  When I applied to colleges I followed her to Ohio State.  She means a lot to me, even though she now lives very far away (California) and I haven't seen her in over a year.  So for Easter this year I decided to make her some cookies, but not just any cookies, her childhood favorite.  

What you need:
2 cups cake flour
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 sticks butter (salted - room temp)
1 3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
zest of one lemon
1 cup milk
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5 oz chocolate
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp honey
5 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

For the cookies:  Cream together sugar and butter.  Add eggs one at a time until combined.  Mix in vanilla and lemon zest.  In a separate bowl whisk together the flour and baking powder.  Add this in 3rds to the butter mixture alternating additions with 3rds of the milk.  Scoop 1/4 cups full of the batter onto a baking sheet (leave plenty of room btwn cookies).  Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until the bottoms are golden (see below).

For the frosting: Over low heat combine honey and water in a small saucepan.  Once combined add the vanilla and pour 3/4 of the honey mixture to the powdered sugar.  Stir to combine and add extra honey mixture to the powdered sugar if needed.  Spread white icing on 1/2 of all the cookies.  Melt the chocolate and add it to the remaining sugar mixture.  Add more honey water if needed (I needed).  Spread chocolate frosting on the 2nd half of the cookie.

Hope you enjoy these as much as I do.  (A little bit of home away from home)