Look to the cookie, Elaine, look to the cookie.

I have said in the past that a good chocolate chip cookie is the best cookie ever. While I still believe this, a black and white cookie is a close second. Not only is a black and white delicious, it is arguably part of one of the best Seinfeld episodes ever.

A black and white is hard to come by in Minneapolis, though, so last weekend I reserved a few hours to harness the words of Jerry Seinfeld and bake the infamous dessert.

"The black and white. I love the black and white. Two races of flavor living side by side in harmony....If people would only look to the cookie, all of our problems would be solved."

--Jerry Seinfeld

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Black and White Cookie
from Baked

Make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.

In the bow of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl each time. Add the flour mixture in three parts alternating with the buttermilk (start with flour and end with flour). Scrape down the bowl and add the vanilla and lemon zest. Mix on low speed to incorporate.

Using a #50 scoop the batter onto a silpat/parchment lined baking sheet leaving a few inches in between the dough. Bake for 17 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

Make the frosting: Whisk together the sugar, milk, cream, and vanilla. Add milk one teaspoon at a time until you reach desired consistency. Pour half of the frosting into another bowl and add the cocoa powder and one teaspoon of water. Whisk until chocolate frosting comes together. If it is too thick, add water until frosting has desired consistency.

Using an offset spatula, spread the white frosting on half of the cookie. Let it set for an hour or so and then add the chocolate frosting. Let the cookie dry completely before serving. 

Cookies
3 cups AP flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp grated lemon zest

Frosting
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
4 tbsp whole milk
3 tbsp cream 
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

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You Betcha

I don't think that I have much of a Minnesota accent. I'm clearly not from a coast or the south but I could pretty much be from anywhere in the midwest (except that the game is Duck Duck Gray Duck, not goose...argue all you want).

Let me repeat this, I don't think that I have much of a Minnesota accent...except when it comes to the word, bars. Not bars as in: "Let's meet at one of the many bars in the city." Bars as in: "Oh, did you try one of the delicious bars that Marge brought to work?" 

It's the "s."

This may also be the reason why I do not bake many bars; perhaps I am purposefully avoiding the event in which I have to say the word out loud.

It is worth it for these, though:

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Halfway Bars

Make the bars: Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9x13" baking dish with parchment paper (see following photo).

Whisk flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup of the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks to the mixture one at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla and water. Gradually add the flour mixture until the dough comes together.

Using your hands, press the cookie layer into the baking dish. Add the dark chocolate chips to the cookie layer and press them into the dough which will make adding the meringue layer much easier.

In a completely clean mixer bowl, whisk the egg whites on high until frothy. Gradually add the remainder of the brown sugar to the egg whites until the mixture holds firm peaks.

Spread the meringue on top of the other two layers. This can get a little messy but I suggest scooping large clumps of the meringue in different places and then use a spatula to smooth it into one layer. Once this is complete, press an additional piece of parchment paper onto the top so that the layer remains flat. Bake with the paper for 20 minutes. Remove the layer of parchment and bake for another 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookie layer or brown.

Cool completely before removing from pan.

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temp
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, separated
2 eggs, separated
1 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla
12 oz dark chocolate chips

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Deadly Cookie

I made a cookie last week filled with coffee and three different types of chocolate that will make you cry. You will cry because the cookie is not only amazing but also because you will eat so many of them that you will curl up into a stomach ache induced fetal position.

This cookie is based off of Baked's, Cowboy Cookie. I omitted the pretzels and added grapenuts. No, this was not to add "fiber"but rather, crunch. I also used three different types of chocolate: milk, semi sweet, and 70% dark.

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Deadly Cookie
adapted from Baked

Make the cookies: Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Stir in the oats to combine.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the egg and egg yolk and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Dissolve the espresso in 1/4 cup hot water and add to the mixture. Mix until combined.

Add half of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined (15 seconds). Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and fold in the chocolate and Grape-Nuts.

Cover and refrigerate the bowl for a few hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°. Using a #50 scoop, scoop cookie dough on parchment or silpat-lined baking sheet. Flatten the cookies slightly and bake for 10 minutes.

1 3/4 cups AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups rolled oats
14 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp instant espresso powder
12 oz chocolate (I used a combination of milk, dark, and semi sweet)
3/4 cup Grape-Nuts

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