BOGART LOVES: 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.