The cool crisp air in November makes visiting a bakery or baking in your own home feel really nice and cozy. This weekend, turn on your oven and treat yourself to some chocolate and marshmallow whoopie pies:
Whoopie Pies
Recipe reprinted from Winterberries and Apple Blossoms: Reflections and Flavors of a Mennonite Year by Nan Forler, paintings by Peter Etril Snyder
Ingredients:
1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cups cocoa
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Filling:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups icing sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon milk
2 cups marshmallow cream
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Gradually melt the chocolate. Let it cool slightly.
- Using a wooden spoon, cream butter and brown sugar together.
- Add egg, vanilla extract, cooled chocolate, and buttermilk. Beat well, scraping sides and bottom of bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining dry ingredients.
- Add dry ingredients to wet mixture gradually, mixing well.
- Using a small scoop, drop batter onto parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between the pies.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until tops crack slightly and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the pies cool completely before adding filling.
- Using a wooden spoon or mixer, cream butter and sugar together.
- Add vanilla extract and milk, blend in.
- Add marshmallow cream and beat well.
- Spread filling generously on the flat side of a whoopie pie. Place another half on top and gently press together.
Recipe excerpted from Winterberries and Apple Blossoms by Nan Forler. Copyright © 2011 by Nan Forler. Photographs Copyright © 2011 by Sylvia Chan. Excerpted by permission of Tundra Books. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.