A Composition in Black & White

What is it about a composition notebook? Even in college, I loved getting a school/class supply sheet and seeing "composition notebook" on the list.

Somehow, writing in a composition notebook would elevate my writing to a level that a spiral notebook had never seen (or so I thought). Plus, it was classy. You can't really write "Bridget + Tommy" in pink paint pen on a composition notebook; that's strictly for spirals.

{In case you were wondering, that "Tommy" was C. Thomas Howell, but you might know him as Ponyboy.}

Anyhoo...composition notebook cookies. Let's make them. You'll need:

rectangle sugar cookies
royal icing, divided and tinted with AmeriColor Super Black and Bright White
couplers and tips, #2, #1
disposable icing bags
squeeze bottles
toothpicks
basting brush or large (clean) paintbrush

Use a #2 tip to outline the cookie in black icing. Reserve some piping consistency black icing.

Thin the remaining black icing with water, a bit at a time, stirring with a silicone spatula, until it is the consistency of a thick syrup. You'll want to drop a "ribbon" of icing back into the bowl and have it disappear in a count of "one thousand one, one thousand two." Four is too thick, one is too thin. Count of 2-3 is good. Cover with a damp dishcloth and let sit for several minutes.

Stir gently with a silicone spatula to pop and large air bubbles that have formed. Pour into squeeze bottle.

Fill in the outline with the thinned flood icing, using a toothpick to guide to the edges and to pop large air bubbles.

Let the cookies dry for at least one hour.

Thin about half of the white icing with a bit of water until it is loosened, but not thinned to the point for flooding as described above.

Use a basting brush or large paintbrush and your finger to flick the thinned icing from the bristles on top of the black cookies. Your table will be a mess. It's ok.

{This is a great technique for going all Jackson Pollock with your cookies. Ooo...this makes me want to homeschool again and do art history in cookies.}

Let the cookies dry for at least one hour. Wipe off your table.

Again with a #2 tip, pipe a "binding" along the side of the cookies in black.

Use the unthinned white icing to pipe detail outline with a #2 tip.

Thin the remaining white outline as described for the flood icing above and fill in the white outline.

Let the cookies dry at least one hour.

Switch the tip on the black icing to a #1 and personalize them however you wish...or leave them blank.

Let the cookies dry uncovered 6-8 hours or overnight.