Making Whoopies

Until recently, I had never made whoopie pies.  For some reason, I've always had it in my head that these retro, black and white desserts were usually, to be blunt, flavorless and boring.  I was so wrong.  These "pies" are some of the most ooey-gooey, delicious treats I've ever tasted.  The cakey, chocolate cookies are rich, slightly salty and moist.  Then there's the filling.  Oh boy, that filling.  Homemade marshmallow buttercream. Sticky, sweet, buttery and thick.  Pure heaven. Pair this pie with a cold glass of milk and prepare yourself for a joyous, decadent and sticky-fingered experience.

BTW:  Feel free to use a more traditional vanilla buttercream frosting to fill your pies.  I love the marshmallow flavor of the frosting below but be warned, it's very drippy and sticky-gooey.

Whoopie Pies

Makes 9 large pies 

For the cookies:

adapted from a recipe in the January 2003 issue of Gourmet

2 cups flour

1/2 cup good quality cocoa powder (I use Valrhona)

1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp instant espresso powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 large egg, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour,  cocoa powder, baking powder, instant espresso and salt. Set aside.  In a small bowl, combine buttermilk and vanilla extract. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl and using a hand mixer) beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Turn the speed down to medium and mix in the egg until just incorporated.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that the ingredients are combined.

Beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients to the butter mixture with the speed on medium.  After adding the last of the dry ingredients, turn off the mixer and mix batter by hand with a rubber spatula.

Using a small ice-cream scoop (approximately 1/4 cup) scoop 6 mounds of dough onto each of the lined baking sheets, spacing the batter mounds at least 2 inches apart.  Bake two sheets of cookies together first and then bake the third sheet when the first two pans are finished.  Bake for 11-14 minutes or until cookies are fully baked but not overdone. Cool cookies by lifting the parchment paper off the sheet pans and transferring the parchment and cookies to cooling racks.  Once cooled, carefully peel cookies off parchment.  Spread a generous amount of marshmallow buttercream (see below) onto the bottom of one cookie and then top with another cookie.  Continue until all pies are assembled.

For the marshmallow buttercream:

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/2 tsp cream of tarter

2/3 C + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar 

1/3 cup water

3/4 cup light corn syrup

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tarter on medium speed until combined and frothy.  Add the 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and increase speed to high and beat until soft peaks form.  

In a small saucepan, combine the remaining granulated sugar, water and corn syrup.  Over medium heat, bring to a boil and cook until a candy thermometer reads 246 degrees (firm-ball). Immediately remove hot sugar from heat and with the mixer on low, slowly pour the hot sugar into the beaten egg whites.  Once the sugar has been added, turn the mixer up to high and beat for 5 minutes or until thick.  Once thick, allow mixture to come to room temperature.

Once the mixture has cooled, turn the mixer on medium speed, add the vanilla and then add the softened butter, one tablespoon at a time, until incorporated.  Decrease the speed to low and slowly add in the powdered sugar.  Return the mixer to medium speed until the frosting comes together.

Rich, dark cocoa gives these whoopie pies intense chocolate flavor.

Tangy buttermilk adds richness to the batter.

Measure your batter with a small ice-cream scoop to ensure that they bake to the same size. 

Transfer cookies to a baking rack to cool completely before filling with frosting. 

The start of this fluffy frosting:  egg whites beaten to soft peaks.

Carefully and slowly pour the hot sugar into the egg whites. 

Sticky, thick and buttery.  This marshmallow frosting is the perfect filling for these chocolaty whoopies.

You may choose to use a fork, but I prefer to use my hands.  Heavenly.  

Kitchen Loves

Generally, it's the things that I see everyday that are the most beautiful to me. Many of these familiar objects lurk in my kitchen.  I relish in having bowls, containers and other odds and ends set out on my counters and I often use them as inspiration in my cooking and in the appointment of my kitchen.  Usually, it's the simplest things that get me the most excited.  A tiny bowl, some beautiful fruit or a stack of magazines.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

A tiny Brooklyn plate.  The perfect spot for a mini pin and some neglected, wrinkly-skinned flower bulbs.

Silver spoons passed down from my mother's family.  Patinaed and lovely.

My favorite grey fruit bowl.  

Little bowls filled with corks and other tiny treasures.  

Weathered wooden spoons and other necessary utensils.   Within reach of our stove.

Food magazines of all varieties.  Worn and ragged but well-loved.

Never underestimate the beauty in organized silverware.  I certainly don't.

Fall Squash

 

Fall is my favorite time of year.  When the nights become windy and cool, the maple trees begin to turn red and the wool sweaters are dug out of the closet.  Nothing says fall to me like a warm, hearty bowl of butternut squash soup.  Roasted squash, pureed with herbs and sauteed onion. This soup makes the perfect dinner on a crisp, cool evening.  Like apple picking, pumpkins and falling leaves, butternut squash soup is a sure sign that fall has arrived.

Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 6-8

2 large butternut squash, peeled and chopped into one-inch cubes
2 carrots, peeled and chopped into one-inch cubes
olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 Tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
6-8 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Divide squash and carrot chunks between two sheet pans.  Pour a few tablespoons of olive oil over the squash on each pan and then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.  With your hands, toss squash and carrots to evenly coat with oil and seasoning. Roast for 45 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, heat butter and one tablespoon olive oil in a large dutch oven or soup pot set over medium-low heat.  Add the chopped onion and garlic to the pot, stirring occasionally until slightly browned, approximately 20 minutes.  Add the chopped fresh herbs to the pot and continue to cook for 5 minutes.  Remove pot from heat.

Pour chicken stock into a large saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until simmering.

When the squash has finished roasting, add it to the pot with the onions and return to medium heat. Add approximately 4 cups of the simmering chicken stock to the squash and onions.  Using an immersion blender, puree the squash, adding more chicken stock gradually until the soup is to your desired thickness.  Stir in 1/4 cup heavy cream.  Taste soup and season with more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve warm garnished with fried sage leaves, a drizzle of heavy cream or some Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

Note:  If you don't have an immersion blender, you can puree this soup in a blender or food processor (in small batches).

Simply peel your squash and chop.   A spoon makes easy work of removing the seeds.

Roasted squash and carrots.  Sweet and earthy.

Garlic, thyme and sage give this dish a savory warmth.

Allowing the onions to turn golden-brown deepens their flavor.

Puree until smooth and silky.

Soups on.

Simple Breakfast

 

Crusty, toasted multi-grain bread spread generously with sweet cream butter.  A drizzle of golden honey gives just a hint of natural sweetness.  Warm, filling and satisfying.  What more needs to be said?

Crusty and nutty multi-grain bread.

Fresh, softened spreadable butter.  

Locally produced orange blossom honey.

Toast + butter + honey = good morning.

Dinner at Dad's

Occasionally, I like to challenge myself by creating a meal solely from ingredients already in the house.  I see it as a way of boosting my culinary creativity but, more so, as a way to clean out my ever-cluttered pantry.  While making dinner at my Dad's house over the weekend,  most of the components we used were already found in his surprisingly well-stocked kitchen.  What could have been a very simple dinner, ended up being quite a flavorful and exciting one.  The only items I purchased from the store were fresh pork tenderloin and buffalo mozzarella.  The rest was found in the pantry, garden or refrigerator.  We all chipped in and helped with the preparations. It felt good knowing that such a delicious meal could be made off-the-cuff and from items right there in the kitchen.

Dad started the charcoal grill.

I rubbed tender pork tenderloins with some basic pantry staples:  chipotle pepper, dijon mustard and coarse salt.

Reduce some apple juice to baste the pork with during grilling.  Warmed fruit preserves would be equally delicious.

A few snacks while we prepare dinner.  Crackers from the pantry.  Salami and cheese from the refrigerator.

A beautifully stacked tomato and mozzarella  salad ready to be sprinkled with some basil from the garden and a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette.

Red potatoes from the pantry got roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper.  A few snips of fresh, flat-leaf parsley from the garden and they're ready for the table.

Let's eat.

Proof is in the Pudding

As a personal rule, I try to cook with natural, local, pure and organic ingredients whenever possible.  I find that the better the ingredient I use, the better my food tastes.  Of course, there are exceptions to any rule.  This recipe is one of those exceptions.  Almost every ingredient in this dish is found in the dry-goods aisle of your local grocery store.  Old school, shelf-stable items. But this dessert is so good.  It is dreamily fluffy, sweet and crunchy, yet custardy and creamy. The flavor is complex, yet simple.  Comforting and remembered. It happens to be one of my Dad's favorite desserts which makes it one of my favorites. Scoop some of this cloud-like layered pudding into a bowl, curl up on the couch, close your eyes and enjoy.  Some rules were made to be broken.

Banana Cream Pudding
adapted from More from Magnolia, by Allysa Torey

Serves 8-10

1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups cold water
3 cups heavy whipping cream
one box vanilla wafer cookies (preferably Nabisco Nilla wafers)
4 ripe bananas, sliced into coins

In a medium bowl, blend condensed milk, pudding mix, vanilla extract and water on low speed with a hand mixer.  Once completely blended, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream just until you form soft peaks.  (This can be done with a hand mixer or by hand with a wire whisk).  Gently fold the chilled pudding mixture into the whipped cream until incorporated.

In a clear glass trifle dish or clear glass serving bowl, layer your dessert beginning with the vanilla wafers, then the banana slices and then the pudding mixture.  Continue layering, ending with a layer of pudding mixture. Top the pudding with some reserved vanilla wafers.

Chill dessert for at least 30 minutes and up to a few hours before serving.  (Don't chill finished dessert overnight or the cookies will become soggy).

Cloyingly sweet, sweetened condensed milk and instant vanilla pudding create this simple and satisfying dessert.

Whip your heavy cream just until shiny soft peaks form.  

Fresh bananas give this dessert flavor and texture.

Vanilla wafers, a remembered childhood flavor.  Sweet, rich and a hint of saltiness.  Perfect for this dish.

Delicious layers that add up to one dreamily comforting treat.

Cabin Fever

Our friend Peter is a fantastic cook.  He has been preparing some of the most mouth-watering food as far back as I've known him. In undergrad, Pete always seemed to be able to make the most amazing meals in the smallest and dingiest of college-rental kitchens.  Effortlessly.  I'd always envied him for that. Pete and his lovely wife Erin live in Los Angeles so, unfortunately, we haven't been able to see him, or eat his great cooking, as often as we would like. Luckily, Pete was recently in town and we were invited to a weekend cabin retreat, hosted by his in-laws. As we pulled into the driveway, the smell of grilled salmon and citrus wafted into our car.  As usual, Pete had prepared an incredibly delicious, yet appropriately simple meal. A hearty, green spinach salad with a bittery-sweet vinaigrette, lemony-grilled salmon and some seriously golden and buttery hasselback potatoes. Erin mixed up some of her famously stiff and refreshing margeritas, and we all sat down to a beautiful, cozy cabin dinner. Warm, filling and flavorful, followed by lively discussion and cold beer around the campfire. Thanks Peter, for yet another great meal.

Pete's Hasselback Potatoes
Serves 12

12 russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
3-5 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
sour cream (optional)
fresh herbs, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel the top half of the potatoes, lengthwise.  Lay 2 wooden spoons of the same size on a cutting board, parallel to each other.  Using the spoon handles to prevent cutting completely through the potato, place a potato in between the handles and make closely-spaced sliced across the length of the potato (peeled side up).  Insert garlic slices between various slits in each potato.

Place potatoes, slit side up, on a baking sheet. Mix the melted butter with the olive oil in a small bowl and brush the mixture over the tops and sides of the potatoes.   Sprinkle potatoes generously with salt and pepper.

Bake until tops are crispy and the potatoes are cooked through, approximately 1 hour.  Serve warm with sour cream and fresh herbs, if using.

Erin's famous margaritas.  Salty and cold.  

Fresh spinach, thinly sliced red onion and a slightly sweet vinaigrette.   

Smokey and moist with crispy skin.  Salmon hot off the grill.

Miss-matched cabin dishes.  Comforting and kitschy. 

The chef.