Yin Yang Cookies - all-purpose

Method

• Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
• In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at low speed for a minute or two until soft.
• Add the shortening and sugar and continue beating until fluffy.
• Add the eggs, vanilla, corn syrup, and almond extract and increase the speed to medium for about 1 minute.
• Stop the mixer and add half of the flour mixture, then beat slowly until all the flour is incorporated.
• Next, add half the sour cream, then mix slowly.
• Repeat until all the flour mixture and sour cream are incorporated.
• Allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
• While the dough chills, make the icing.
• Sift the confectioners sugar into a bowl.
• Combine the corn syrup and water in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.
• Stir the hot mixture into the confectioners sugar, stirring vigorously.
• Add the butter and vanilla and stir until the mixture is smooth.
• Transfer the mixture to a bowl and store at room temperature until the cookies are ready to be iced.
• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Scoop a ball of cookie dough (about 1/4 cup) onto the cookie sheet one at a time, placing them about 1 inch apart.
• Roll each cookie scoop into a ball between your palms and flatten each one slightly to a thickness of at least 1/2 inch.
• Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, or until slightly risen and golden brown on the edges.
• Remove them from the baking sheet with a spatula, and place them on a plate.
• Ice the cookies by spreading a thin layer of icing on each one with an offset spatula while they are still warm.
• To decorate, make a batch or 1/2 batch of Dark Chocolate Plastique (the recipe yields more than you will need here but freezes well).
• I like using a round pastry tip and a paring knife to cut out shapes.
• Roll out the plastique on parchment paper until very thin.
• Cut a yin yang shape (like a large comma) with a paring knife to fit on the top of your cookie.
• Use an offset spatula to move the plastique comma onto the iced cookie.
• You need only one side, because when you place the plastique on the iced cookie, it will stick, creating the black-and-white, yin yang pattern.
• This may involve some trial and error to get just the right fit, but it becomes easy as you go along.
• You can use your pastry tip to punch out the eye of the yin yang symbol before you place it on the cookie for the full effect.