Red Velvet Pomegranate Black and White Cookies

Round two, red velvet.

We meet again.

So disappointed when I found out dye makes red velvet red.

I have heard strange tales of beets and onion skins, but I doubt their veracity.

I think it has always been food dye.  Food dye to cover up a miserly portion of cocoa.

Solution!

Pomegranate. 

I'm gonna say it again.

Pomegranate.

Red, dark, voluptuous.  Sexy. 

Have you ever looked at your red stained, juicy, tasty fingertips after eating a pomegranate?  After pick, pick, picking away at it?  Concentrating, focusing for every tender, sweet morsel?

Sexy.

Hope your season is going well.

Red Velvet Pomegranate Black and White Cookies (inspired by Joy the Baker)

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon red food coloring

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup pomegranate juice

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 block (4 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (plus 1/2 scraped vanilla bean if desired)

For the Chocolate Glaze:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (chips or coarsely chopped chunks)

1/4 cup light corn syrup

pinch of salt

Place a rack in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 to 5 minutes).  Add egg and yolk and heat for one minute, scraping down the bowl as necessary.  Stop the mixer, add the food coloring and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until thoroughly incorporated.

Add half of the flour mixture and beat on low speed.  Add all of the pomegranate juice in a slow stream. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat on low speed until no flour bits remain.

Spoon batter onto prepared baking sheet by the heaping tablespoonful.  Keep the cookies spaced 2 inches apart.  Bake cookies until dry on top and slightly firm to the touch.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes.  Transfer cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.

To frost the cookies, turn cookies bottom side up and gently wipe off any crumbs.  Using two separate butter knives, cover half of each cookie with cream cheese frosting, and the other half with chocolate glaze. 

Allow cookies to set for about 3o minutes.  

To make the Cream Cheese Frosting:

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, blend the cream cheese on medium speed.  The cream cheese should be as soft and smooth as possible.  Stop the mixer.  Add the softened butter.  Scraped down the sides of the bowl and beat the two together over medium speed until smooth and incorporated.  Add one cup of powdered sugar.  Blend until incorporated.  Add vanilla extract (and bean, if using) and remaining cup of powdered sugar.  Beat on medium high speed until frosting is smooth and silky.

To make the Chocolate Glaze:

In a heatproof bowl, combine butter and chocolate pieces.  Set bowl over a pan of simmering water so that the water does not hit the bottom of the bowl.  We’re creating a double-boiler.  Stir until butter and chocolate are melted and smooth.  Turn off heat and remove the bowl from the pan.  Stir in corn syrup and pinch of salt.  Set aside to cool slightly before glazing cookies.