Time for making whoopie
So what are they?
Well let’s ask the experts. According to Claire Ptak of Violet Cakes in East London, who has just written a book on the subject: “A whoopie is not a cookie, it’s not a typical cake, and it’s definitely not a pie.
“Whoopie pies hail from the Amish communities of the US. School children and farmers in Pennsylvania Amish are said to have responded to finding these special treats in their lunch boxes with a resounding ‘Whoopie!’ They exist in a scrumptious parallel universe somewhere between cupcakes and ice cream sandwiches.”
I was longing to find some good recipes. Claire has written the first cook book I’ve come across on the whoopie pies. It comes with Jamie Oliver’s wholehearted endorsement: “An absolutely gorgeous book by my favourite cake maker in the whole world.”
Claire has quite a following. If you pop over to London you’ll find her behind her Violet Cake stall at the Broadway Market in Hackney on Saturday morning selling sweet and savoury treats. She has also opened a little Violet café and cake shop on nearby Wilton Way which sells her famous American-style cupcakes.
Claire, originally from California, has quite a pedigree. She worked as a pastry cook and eventually a pastry chef for Alice Waters at Chez Panisse in Berkeley before moving to London.
She also cooks occasional “secret suppers” in her East London kitchen, one of the growing number of sought after pop-up restaurants in the London area.
Her friends and devotees follow eagerly on Twitter and Facebook.
Back to the whoopie pie. It’s not a cookie or a typical cake and despite the name definitely not a pie. In fact no one seems to be able to explain why it’s called a whoopie pie, maybe it’s just because it has a rhythmic ring to it. It’s more like a little cake sandwich with the icing in between.
Once you get hooked you’ll find that you can adapt lots of your own recipes but the original is all American. Whoopies originated in the US in the 1920s, although no one seems to know precisely where.
Typically whoopee pies are made in 10cm (4 inch) rounds but when I ate a couple of those recently I was guilt ridden for the rest of the day. Fortunately Claire gives instructions for smaller sized ones, perfect for children’s tiny fingers or for me when I crave just a little treat.
In this cute little whoopie bakers bible, Claire gives recipes for more than 60 variations on the theme from chocolate, coconut, kirch, lemon, peanut butter and rose pistachio to special flavours like Christmas cake whoopie, Easter egg whoopie and many more.
She also included her favourite brownie recipe worth the price of the book alone.
Serve with chocolate sauce, vanilla ice cream and cherries in syrup.
The Whoopie Pie Book is published by Square Peg; £15. Claire Ptak, Violet Cakes, 47 Wilton Way, E83 ED, London, England. See www.violetcakes.com or email info@violetcakes.com
All the flavour of an oatmeal cookie but with a soft whoopie texture, this makes a great summer treat when sandwiched with vanilla ice cream and frozen, or you can fill with strawberry buttercream.
Makes 24 bite-sized ice cream whoopie sandwiches
180g (6½ oz) plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8tsp salt
225g (8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
200g (7 oz) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
200g (7 oz) jumbo oats
75g (3 oz) sultanas (optional)
Good-quality vanilla ice cream, for the filling
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Line 2 trays with baking paper.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon. Stir in the salt and set aside.
In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and light brown sugar until light and fluffy, using an electric hand whisk or a freestanding mixer fitted with the flat beater. Add the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla, mixing well. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Add the oats and sultanas and mix until incorporated. Chill for 30 minutes. Drop 48 small scoops of batter, about 5cm apart, onto the prepared trays. Bake in the middle of the oven for 8-10 minutes, until the cakes are left with a slight impression when touched with a finger.
Remove from the oven to a wire rack and cool completely.
To assemble: Spread a generous scoop of slightly softened vanilla ice cream on the flat surface of a cooled whoopie. Top with another whoopie, gently press together and place in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.
50 ml (2 fl oz) unstrained strawberry purée (about 80g unhulled strawberries)
90g (3¾ oz) soft butter
500-700 g (18 oz-1½ lb) icing sugar, sifted
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp lemon juice
Rinse and hull the strawberries, then purée them in a food processor. In a bowl, cream together the butter and 300g icing sugar with an electric hand whisk or on a low speed in a freestanding mixer fitted with the flat beater. Gradually add the vanilla, lemon juice and strawberry puree. Gradually mix in another 200g icing sugar on a low speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture has a light and fluffy texture and the sugar has dissolved. Add more sugar if the mixture seems too soft (the amount needed varies according to the air temperature and acidity to the fruit). Use right away, or store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to seven days. Bring it to room temperature before using and beat on a low speed to make it creamy again.
Lemon imparts a lovely fresh flavour to cakes and puddings. It’s worth seeking out good-quality lemons. The large knobbly ones grown on the Amalfi coast of Italy are exceptional, as are the Californian Meyer lemons.
300g (10oz/2½ cups) plain flour
¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
125g (4½ oz) unsalted butter, softened
200g (7oz) caster sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
100ml (3½ fl oz/scant ½cup) whole milk
50 ml (2fl oz/¼ cup) lemon juice
Zest of 2 medium lemons
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
Line two trays with baking paper.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Stir in the salt and set aside.
In a separate bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, using an electric hand whisk or a freestanding mixer fitted with the flat beater. Add the egg and mix well. In a jug combine the vanilla, milk and lemon juice.
Add this to the butter mixture and mix well. Add the dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated.
Finally, fold in the lemon zest. Chill for 30 minutes.
Drop 18 large or 48 small scoops of batter, about 5cm apart, onto the prepared baking trays. Bake in the middle of the oven for 10 — 12 minutes for large whoopies, or eight — 10 minutes for mini whoopies, until the cakes are left with a slight impression when touched with a finger.
Remove from the oven to a wire rack and cool completely.
To assemble: Spread a generous scoop of lemon curd cream on the flat surface of a cooled whoopie. Top with another whoopie to make a sandwich and serve.
Makes enough to fill about 9 large or 24 mini whoopie pies.
100g (3½ oz/scant ½ cup) caster sugar
Pinch of salt
Zest and juice of 2 medium lemons
2 egg yolks
125g (4½ oz/generous 1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
50ml (2fl oz/¼ cup) double cream
Put the sugar, salt, lemon zest and juice and egg yolks in a medium sized, heatproof bowl.
Place the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and warm gently through, whisking constantly.
Add the butter, a few cubes at a time, stirring constantly until all the butter is incorporated and the mixture is smooth and thick.
Do not overheat or the eggs will scramble. Strain to remove the zest and any eggy bits. Cover with clingfilm, pressing it down on the surface of the custard. Leave to cool for 20 minutes, then chill for two hours before using.
The lemon curd will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to three weeks. When ready to use, whip the double cream and fold into the chilled custard.
The whoopie pie that started it all: moist, spongy, dark chocolate cake sandwiched around a fluffy marshmallow centre. Once you taste it, you’ll understand what all the fuss is about.
Makes about 9 large or 24 mini whoopie pies
175g (6oz/1½ cups) plain flour
100g (3½ oz) unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
125g (4½ oz/generous 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 200g (7oz/scant 1 cup)
sugar
1 large egg
225ml (8fl oz/1 cup) buttermilk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 180C/350/Gas Mark 4.
Line two trays with baking paper.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Stir in the salt and set aside.
In a separate bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, using an electric hand whisk or a freestanding mixer fitted with the flat beater. Add the egg and mix well. Add the buttermilk and vanilla and beat until well combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients in two batches, mixing until just incorporated. Chill for 30 minutes before using.
Drop 18 large or 48 small scoops of batter, about 5cm (2 inches) apart, onto the prepared baking trays. Bake in the middle of the oven for 10 — 12 minutes for large whoopies or 8 — 10 minutes for mini whoopies, until the cakes are left with a slight impression when touched with a finger.
Remove from the oven to a wire rack and cool completely.
To assemble: Spread or pipe a generous scoop of Fluffy Marshmallow filling onto the flat surface of a cooled whoopee. Top with another whoopee to make a sandwich and serve.
Makes enough to fill about 9 large or 24 mini whoopie pies
3 egg whites
150g (5 oz/generous ½ cup) caster sugar
2 tbsp (2½ American tablespoons) golden syrup
pinch salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Weigh all the ingredients into a heatproof bowl (the stainless steel bowl of freestanding mixers is ideal) and place the bowl over a saucepan of boiling water.
Whisk continuously by hand until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is frothy and slightly opaque (about 10 — 15 minutes).
Remove from the heat and whip the mixture on high speed in a freestanding mixer until it is white and thick and holds its shape.
Use straight away.
Chocolate Buttercream Icing
8ozs (225g) soft butter
1 lb (450g) icing sugar, sieved
1 tablespoon coca powder, sieved
1 tablespoon hot water
Cream the butter and add the icing sugar. Mix the cocoa powder and hot water together and beat into the mixture. Use as a filling for biscuits or cake.
- Tara Bán Goat Cheddar: There's a terrific chance to meet enthusiastic young farmers keen to add value to their produce. Diarmaid Gryson from Tara in Co Meath recently won Young Innovator of the Year in the FBD Macra Na Feirme Awards and a Gold Medal in the Best New Cheese category judged by Juliet Harbutt at the British Cheese Awards in Cardiff. Tara Bán Goat Cheddar made from the milk herd of 140 goats. Contact 046 9026817. Available from local farmers markets and some SuperValu shops in Co Meath.
- Another good news story — O’Connells restaurant is back. Tom O’Connell has reopened his restaurant at 133-135 Morehampton Road, Donnybrook, formerly the famous Madigans pub. This time Lorcan Cribbin, formerly of Bang, heads up the kitchen team and cooks fresh fish and dry aged Irish meats on the traditional Catalonian Chargrill.
www.oconnellsdonnybrook.com, 01 6655940
- Don’t miss Cork Free Choice Consumer Group’s next meeting. Eoin O’Mahony of the English Market will demonstrate and discuss traditional and lesser known cuts of lamb and beef at the Crawford Gallery Café, Emmet Place on Thursday next at 7.30pm, €6.
- Sushi Made Simple takes place at Ballymaloe Cookery School on Wednesday next. Shermin Mustafa tells us which rice to buy, the secret of cooking it perfectly and how to make seven or eight types of sushi. Telephone 021 4646785.
- Terra Madre International Day is on December 10. East Cork Slow Food Convivium is marking it on Sunday, November 28, in The Grain Store, Ballymaloe House with a feast of local produce. Slow Food members €55 non-members €65. Tel 021 4646785 or email slowfoodeastcork@gmail.com
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