Jeremy's favorite: Black and white cookies

Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah. Jeremy is Jewish, and I am Christian, and so far, so good on the interfaith marriage. I am a big fan of making Jeremy's favorites for the Jewish holidays. Now these cookies aren't Hanukkah-specific but they are a New York specialty and one of Jeremy's favorites. My mom, in fact, made them for the cookie table at our wedding. Here is the recipe she used, from the famous Zabar's in New York.

Black and white cookies

Cookies
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter,softened
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. lemon extract
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 1/2 cups all purpose-flour
1 tsp.baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Frosting
4 cups confectioners sugar
1/3 to 1/2 cup boiling water
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter 2 baking sheets and set aside.

Make the cookies: In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and butter and mix by machine or hand until fluffy. Add the eggs, milk and vanilla and lemon extracts and mix until smooth.

In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder and salt and stir until mixed. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in batches, stirring well to combine. Using a soup spoon,drop spoonfuls of the dough 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the edges begin to brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

Make the frosting: Place the confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Gradually add enough of the boiling water to the sugar, stirring constantly, until mixture is spreadable.

Remove half of the frosting to the top of a double boiler set over simmering water and add the chocolate. Warm the mixture, stirring,until the chocolate is melted and the frosting is smooth. Remove from the heat. With a brush, coat half the cookie with chocolate frosting and the other half with white frosting.

MAKES 2 DOZEN COOKIES