Meanwhile, I have a wonderful recipe to share with you today – Whoopie Pies. This is not my recipe. But it is so unbelievably good that I have to pass it along! Earlier this year, the New York Times published an article about Whoopie Pies, a decadent dessert usually associated with the northeast that is now making its way into upscale supermarkets and bakeries across the US. I suppose Whoopie Pies are a natural next step after the recent fascination with cupcakes! Whoopie Pies are sort of like an ice cream sandwich, but instead of ice cream smushed between two cookies, you have a light, egg-based buttercream piped between two gooey chocolate cakes.
It is nearly impossible to eat a whoopie pie and stay clean… this is the kind of dessert that you are supposed to get all over your fingers and mouth, just like a three-year-old! Absolutely no changes are necessary to make this original recipe perfect (except you might want to make the cakes smaller so you can eat more than one!).
WHOOPIE PIES 1 stick unsalted butter, room temp.
1 C. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 C. flour
½ C. cocoa powder
1 C. buttermilk
Ingredients for Filling:
3 egg whites
¾ C. sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp.
¾ tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. salt
Special Tools:
Instant-read thermometer
Double boiler (or a medium saucepan and a metal bowl that fits on top of the saucepan)
Heavy mixer with paddle attachment AND whisk attachment
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until light and creamy. In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda, salt, flour, and cocoa. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in three parts, alternating with buttermilk and combining well after each addition.
2. Scoop out about 12 ¼-cup mounds of batter and place about 6 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, about 12-14 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely before filling.
3. The filling is fickle, and will work well IF you follow the directions exactly! Fill bottom of a double boiler (or medium saucepan) with an inch or two of water and bring to a boil over high heat. In the top half of a double boiler (or a metal bowl), combine egg whites and sugar. Place over simmering water and whisk just until sugar is dissolved and temperature reaches 180 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
4. Using a whisk attachment on a stand mixer, whisk egg whites and sugar on high until they double in volume and become thick and shiny. Continue to whisk until cool. Reduce speed to medium and begin to add butter about 1 tablespoon at a time, until all the butter is incorporated. Add vanilla and salt. If mixture looks curdled (it never has for me), continue to whisk until it is smooth. Increase speed to high and whisk for 1 more minute. Use immediately or place in an airtight container and chill for up to 3 days, whisking again before using.
5. To assemble whoopie pies: Put filling into a large Ziploc bag and snip off the end creating a hole about ½ inch in diameter. Pipe out the filling onto the flat side of half of your cakes, starting at the edges and working your way to the middle. Top the filled half with another cake to sandwich the filling. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or wrap individually and freeze for up to 3 months.
P.S. Giving credit where credit is due, here is the article from the New York Times about Whoopie Pies: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/18/dining/18whoop.html and the companion New York Times recipe for Whoopie Pies: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/18/dining/181wrex.html
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