AUTHENTIC WHOOPIE PIES ALSO KNOWN AS PENNSYLVANIA GOBS by Sarah Phillips © 2007 Sarah Phillips baking911.com
Yield: about 2 dozen whoopie pies (3 inch size).
Whoopie Pies food styling and photos by kake © Sarah Phillips baking911.com
I inherited this recipe for Whoopie Pies from Tami Smith, which I modified and added a filling recipe to.
COOKIE HELP
My latest NY Times blog post: http://www.nytimes.com/info/cake/
Aug. 2, 2010 12:12 PM ET Gaining in popularity once again, the whoopie pie is not a pie at all, but is thought to have evolved in Depression-era New England and Pennsylvania Amish country from left-over cake batter, traditionally chocolate. Dropped onto a cookie sheet and spread into round circles a few inches in diameter, the batter bakes into a mound shape, with a flat side. Two mounds are matched and sandwiched together with a fluffy white frosting or marshmallow fluff in between.
— Sarah Phillips, founder, baking911.com, a baking advice and recipe site
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup boiling water
3/4 cup cocoa powder, Dutch-process
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour; spoon into measuring cup and level to rim
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup crisco shortening
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
2/3 cup buttermilk
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Position and oven shelf in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly grease baking or line sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats.
2. In a bowl or measuring cup, mix the boiling water and cocoa, stir until smooth, set aside to cool.
3. Combine and sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
4. In a mixing bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the crisco and sugar. With the mixer on low, add the egg and egg yolks, and beat. Scrape the bowl.
5. With the mixer on low, slowly add in 1/3 of the flour mixture at the side of the bowl, and then, 1/2 of the buttermilk, immediately followed by 1/2 of the cocoa powder mixture.
Stop the mixer and scrape the side of the bowl.
Repeat, the sequence again, starting with 1/3 of the flour mixture, 1/2 of the buttermilk, 1/2 of the cocoa powder mixture and then, ending with the last 1/3 of the flour mixture.
NOTE: This batter will cake-like in appearance.
Stop the mixer and scrape the side of the bowl.
6. Drop batter by the 1/4 cup onto prepared baking sheets, making sure you make 18 individual cakes. With the back of a spoon spread batter into 4-inch circles, leaving approximately 2 inches between each cake. Make sure the cookie sizes are consistent.
NOTE: I like to use cookie scoops, you will get a more consistent cookie, but you can use the classic two spoon method, try to be consistent with the amount of dough to make nice sandwiches.
7. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until the center is puffed and the cookies spring back (and feel spongy) when lightly pressed. Remove from the cookie sheets and cool a wire rack.
8. When cool, match up equal sized cookies, spread the flat side (bottom) of one chocolate cake with a generous amount of your favorite buttercream or the Marshmallow Fluff Recipe, below, by using a piping bag or spoon. Top with the flat side of another cookie, gently pressing down to distribute the filling..
MARSHMALLOW FLUFF FILLING RECIPE by Sarah Phillips adapted from Marshmallow Fluff.
Traditional fillings are made from shortening, but you can use 1/2 shortening and 1/2 butter, if desired
INGREDIENTS
1 cup shortening or 1/2 cup shortening and 1/2 cup butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 cups Marshmallow Fluff (about one 7 1/2-oz. jar) or Marshmallow Creme
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat shortening and remaining ingredients until light and fluffy.
NOTE: cakechick, in another post, mentions she adds a small amount of milk and a pinch salt to the recipe.
VARIATIONS
Momma Reiner's Homemade Marshmallow Cream posted by Orange Piggy from Martha Stewart
