This pastry that we’re about to make is my grandmother’s favorite and she made sure all her children learned how to make it. This holds a special place in many people’s hearts, from my family members to my friends. It gives us cherished memories with family because it was passed down to us from my grandmother so whenever we make it, her memory comes to mind. The combination of flavors and the unique visual appeal make this pastry a comforting one, and it carries on a tradition of homemade goodness that stems from the treasured recipes handed down by grandmother.
Black and white pastries based on grandma's recipe
Black and white pastries, also known as half-moon cookies or black and white cookies, are a treat loved for their soft, cake-like texture topped with two distinct icing halves – one side coated in chocolate and the other in vanilla icing. Black-and-white cookies are flat, have fondant or sometimes royal icing on a dense cake base, and are common in the New York metropolitan area. Half-moon cookies are slightly dome-shaped (convex), have frosting on a fluffy angel cake base, and are common in Central New York and Boston, Massachusetts.
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
For the icing
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons boiling water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Get all your ingredients ready. Preheat your oven and grease a baking sheet. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
- In another bowl, add the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating it to get it well combined and add in the vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients by alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Add spoonfuls of the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, by getting circular shapes and not forgetting to space them and keep them away from the edges.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are lightly golden. Remove and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the icing, by dividing the confectioners' sugar in half into two separate bowls. In one bowl, sift in the cocoa powder and add the boiling water and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth to create the chocolate icing. In the other bowl, mix the remaining confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract with a little water (a teaspoon at a time) until smooth to create the vanilla icing.
- Spread half of each cookie's flat side with chocolate icing and the other half with vanilla icing. Allow the icing to set before serving.
- Enjoy these homemade black and white pastries that pay homage to cherished family recipes!
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 25g
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