Chocolate Chip Whoopie Pies

Chocolate Chip Whoopie Pies

*****

During story time last week, my son decided to "read" a cookbook.  He found my book Whoopie Pies and he begged and pleaded with me to make one.  We decided on the Chocolate Chip with Marshmallow Cream filling.  True to my nature, there was trial and error and we adjusted a few methods or ingredients to what worked best for us.

First we made the cookies.

Chocolate Chip Whoopie Cookie Recipe PDF HERE

Start with preheating your oven to 375*.
With all my cookies I don't do the mixing flour, salt and baking powder/soda together thing.  I always cream my shortening/butter (always at room temp) with sugars first.  Then I add eggs, vanilla and my little powders, salt/baking soda/baking powder.  I find that if you add them in with the liquid of the eggs and vanilla they get combined just as well as when blending with the flour first.  Except this way, you create less dishes.  I am all about less dishes.  I haven't met a recipe yet where doing this caused trouble.

But back to the baking.  In my Kitchenaid mixer (what would I do without that thing?!) I beat together
4 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. shortening
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. packed brown sugar.
I let the mixture run a few minutes until it was light and creamy.

The next step calls for buttermilk.  I don't keep buttermilk as a standard in my kitchen.  Very rarely do I ever buy it, because I find, when baking, a simple mixture of vinegar and milk is a much cheaper way to achieve the same results.  So the recipe calls for 1/2 c. buttermilk.  Instead I pour 1/2 Tbsp. vinegar into a measuring cup and then fill with milk until the total measures 1/2 cup.  I let this sit for a few minutes and it "sours."

So to my bowl, I added
2 large eggs
1/2 c. poor man's buttermilk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
I mixed this until thoroughly combined.

In a separate bowl I combined 2 Tbsp. milk, 1 tsp. baking soda and 1 tsp. white vinegar.
When you do this, it will start to rise and foam so make sure you put it in a bowl or measuring cup larger than what is needed.  This is what gives it that light and airy texture.  Anyone remember the working volcano from science class in elementary?

I alternately added the milk mixture and 2 1/4 c. flour and beat just until combined.  Don't overbeat!
Then I handmixed in 1 cup of mini chocolate chips.

Now it's time to bake.  I love my stoneware.  I use it for all my cookie baking. They are always baked perfectly even, no burnt bottoms and doughy middles. I lined my stoneware pans with parchment paper.  Then I used a cookie scoop (mine scoops about 1 Tbsp. balls) and dropped 1 Tbsp of cookie dough onto the parchment paper with enough room for rising.

I baked only one sheet at a time at 375* until the edges began to turn brown.  Mine took about 11 minutes.
If you are using metal cookie sheets it will probably be less, maybe 10 minutes.  If you are using dark metal even less.  Know your baking equipment!  If most cookies are overdone at 10 minutes, either your oven runs hot or the pans you use heat faster, adjust the time as necessary.  I know stoneware takes a while to warm up, unless my pans are already preheated I always need to add a minute or two to most recipes.

Remove from oven and let stand on pans for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.  Cool cookies completely before assembling whoopie pies.    

While the cookies were cooling, I began with the filling.  We went with a traditional Marshmallow Cream filling.

Marshmallow Cream Filling Recipe PDF

The original recipe calls for Marshmallow Fluff but I'm all about store brand knock offs and mine came out great.
I used my hand mixer (my kitchenaid was dirty from the cookies ;) to beat together
1 1/2 c. marshmallow cream (a 7.5oz container = 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/4 c. shortening
I beat this until it was smooth and fluffy which took a few minutes.
Then I added
1 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
I kind of mashed the sugar into the cream mixture with the beaters so when I turned them on the sugar didn't poof everywhere.  After it was mashed down I beat it for a few more minutes.   It took about 3-4 minutes to get it fluffy, but I got a great forearm workout out of it.

Once the filling was ready and the cookies were cooled.  I put the filling in pastry bag fitted with a large open circle tip.  I piped the filling on the flat side of one cookie covering the whole bottom and then topped with a second cookie.

These were delicious and my kids couldn't be more pleased with the results.
I tried using a whoopie pan for these and I wasn't as pleased with the results as I was with my stoneware.  With my stoneware I definitely had to wait til it started to brown at the edges before removing them from the oven.  One batch I pulled out too quickly because it hit the 10 minute mark and they deflated almost immediately and we really enjoyed the puffy version better although taste wise both were good.

ENJOY!!!

Fruit & Cream Streusel Squares

Fruit & Streusel Squares

*****

I found this recipe in the All the Best Pampered Chef Cookbook.  These are so much simpler than they look or taste.  Every time I serve them I get the questions, "These are homemade?"  I love making one batch with 2 or 3 flavors and it gives great variety.

PDF Version HERE

Preheat the oven to 350*.  

First you make the crust.

3/4 c. butter, melted

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 c. powdered sugar

Add flour and powdered sugar to melted butter.  Mix until crumbly.  (I would call this more dough-like than crumbly, like sugar cookie dough.)  Reserve 1/4 c. of crust mix for topping.

Sprinkle crust mixture evenly over bottom of stoneware bar pan.  Roll to an even thickness using lightly floured roller.

(I use powdered sugar instead of flour and pat down with my hand first and then roll out smooth with roller.  I found this works better than just rolling which even with flour or sugar sticks to the roller often.)

For filling:

1 jar (12oz) seedless jam

1/4 c. all-purpose flour

(If you use more than one flavor make sure you evenly distribute the flour.)

Combine jam and flour in small batter bowl; mix until smooth.

Spread jam over crust.

For topping:

1 pkg. (8oz) cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/4 c. walnut halves, chopped (optional, I rarely add nuts to my baking)

If cream cheese isn't softened warm in microwave 30 seconds or until soft.  Add powdered sugar and whisk until smooth. (I used an electric beater).  Put cream cheese mixture in Accent Decorator, Piping Bag or Plastic Ziploc Bag (if doing this, cut a hole in one corner for piping).  

Pipe cream cheese in diagonal rows onto jam layer.

If using nuts, add them to reserved crust.

Sprinkle reserved crust over top of cream cheese layer.  

Bake 30-35 min or until edges lightly golden brown.  Remove from oven; cool completely.  

Cut into squares, or triangles.

PDF Version HERE

ENJOY!!!

Symphony Brownies

Symphony Brownies

*****

These are so excellent.  If you don't like symphony toffee bars, these aren't for you.  But if you do.  O wow, be prepared to make these often!  They are so simple you won't be able to resist.

For the PDF version click here.

Start with basic brownie mix.  You can use homemade or box version.

Prepare batter as directed on the box.  I LOVE my chocolate so I always add handful or two of chocolate chips to my brownie batter.

Pour about half of the batter or a little less (enough to cover the bottom) into greased 13x9" pan.

Layer your unwrapped giant symphony toffee bars over the brownies.

Depending on the curve of your pan you can fit between 2 1/2-3 bars.  (If I broke mine I could have fit the other half in there.)

Top with remaining batter until all of symphony bar is covered.

Bake in preheated oven as directed in brownie directions.  Mine was at 350 for about 28 min.

Enjoy your delicious brownies with a sweet toffee surprise in the middle!

You can find the PDF version here.

ENJOY!!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes

*****

When I am in the mood for peanut butter and lots of chocolate these are just perfect!  The peanut butter is not overwhelming unless you want it to be.  Add as much or as little peanut butter chips as you want.  It's SO incredibly simple and fast these are going to be very common this coming winter.

If you want the PDF version of this recipe you can find it here.

You start with a basic family size brownie mix.  Mix according to directions for "Cake-like" brownies.  If you are at high altitude (like me) you will most likely had to add flour as well.  You can also use any basic brownies recipe you have.

I can never be content with a box of brownie mix, if nothing else I always AT LEAST add 1-2 handfuls of chocolate chips.  Makes them so much more chocolaty and delicious!

Scoop about 1 spoonful into the bottom paper-lined muffin pan.  Then add peanut butter chips.  This is where you decide how much or little you want of peanut butter flavor.  (You can add other kind of chips, if desired, in here, but I already added my chocolate chips to the batter).

Then cover with the remaining batter.

This recipe makes 18.  If you only have muffin tins with 12, make sure you add water to the remaining muffin tins or your brownies will not cook evenly.

Then bake at temperature according to box directions (about 350* most likely) and I used a little less time than the 13x9" pan would take.  My box said 28-30 and I baked mine for about 25.  They were perfect.  

You can't really see the layer of peanut butter but it is there and oh, so yummy!

ENJOY!

If you want the PDF version of this recipe you can find it here.

Zucchini Cake

Zucchini Cake

*****

  AKA zucchini brownies!  These zucchini brownies taste like chocolate cake to me.  They are not fudge-y, more cake-like.  But with 2 cups of zucchini that makes them healthy right? And then when loaded with Fudge-y chocolaty frosting goodness, well who can resist.  Great way to use up that zucchini when you are bored with zucchini bread.  One very extra large zucchini made 1 & 1/2 pans.  I shred my zucchini first and measure then figure out how many brownies I'm making.  When using a 9x9" pan, half all ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 1/2 c. white sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. flour

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 c. shredded zucchini

(you can add walnuts, about 1/2 c. chopped, we omit)

FROSTING:

6 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 c. margarine

2 c. confectioners' sugar

1/4 c. milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350*.  Grease and flour 9x13" baking pan.

2. In large bowl, mix together oil, sugar, and 2 tsp. vanilla until well blended.  Combine the flour, 1/2 c. cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into sugar mixture.  (This mix will look very dry and you are probably wondering how this makes a cake, but the zucchini is where all the liquid is stored. :)

3. Fold in zucchini (and walnuts if adding).  Spread evenly into prepared pan.

4. Bake for 30-35 min. in preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched.

5. To make FROSTING: melt together the 6 Tbsp. cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool.  (When working with small amounts of butter be careful not to scald it if melting over stove.)

6. In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla.  Stir in cocoa mixture.

7.  Spread frosting over brownies AFTER COOL!  If you spread while brownies are still hot the frosting will melt and look spectacular at first but as they dry and the frosting re-hardens, it gets wrinkly.  Be patient when adding frosting.

P.S.  This frosting recipe makes A TON!  It will more than cover your cake unless you want 2" layer of frosting.  I always make as directed and save.  This chocolate frosting tastes good on almost anything.  We love storing some to spread on graham crackers or to dip our fruit in.  YUM!!!

ENJOY!

Apple Pie with Crumble Topping

Apple Pie with Crumble Topping

 ****

This is one of my go-to apple pie recipes.  When I can apples, I can baking apples (recipe from BALL canning cookbook) so they are perfect for this recipe, which takes no time at all.  You can use homemade crust or store-bought, we've done both.  If you are using canned baking apples I would do less flour than with fresh peeled and sliced.  If you use apple pie filling just add the crumb topping, do not add extra flour or sugar.

INGREDIENTS:
1 (9") pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
5 c. apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced (or 1 jar canned baking apples - NOT APPLE PIE FILLING)
1/4 c. white sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp. cinnamon

TOPPING:
1/3 c. white sugar
3/4 c. flour
6 Tbsp. cold butter

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325*.
2.  Mix apples with cinnamon, 1/4 c. brown sugar, 1/4 c. white sugar and 1/4 c. flour.  (Use less flour if using baking apples).
3.  Pour apple mixture in unbaked pie shell.
4.  Mix 1/3 c. sugar with flour; cut in butter (with pastry blender or 2 forks/knives) until crumbly.  Spoon mixture over apples.
5.  Bake in preheated oven for approx 1 hr or until apples are soft and top is lightly browned.

Serve with Cool Whip or Ice Cream! 

ENJOY!

Golden Oreo Truffles Recipe

These make SUCH a great gift and there is such an ENDLESS array of options! Decorations, flavors, etc!

So all you need is this:

1 pkg. golden oreo

1 8oz pkg. cream cheese

melting chocolate (I used almond bark)

& decorations (optional)

Or... This:

For Chocolate!

(Double Stuff is harder to work with, but if it's all you have, work it!)

First take your food processor, or heavy duty blender, or some strong arms a large gallon ziploc bag and a rolling pin and crush those cookies!

I use 36 cookies (we usually eat the rest or save for dipping!)

Mix, blend or roll until fine crumbs.

On a side note, isn't my new food processor BEAUTIFUL!?! (Thanks MOM! Christmas Gift :)

After you have fine crumbs, cut the cream cheese into chunks and add to food processor.

Then process. You will know it's all mixed when your fine crumbs turn into one GIANT BLOB!

It WILL be gooey! I take my food processor bowl, in the state and stick it in the fridge for a good 10-15 min to chill.

This isn't necessary for taste, but makes it MUCH easier to work with.

After done chilling. Roll into balls.

I use my cookie scoop, scoop and roll in hands then set on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.

After I have all my balls I put this back in the fridge or freezer (if you have room). The colder you have the balls the easier it is to dip.

While they are chilling (about 30 min. in fridge or 10-15 in freezer), melt your chocolate.

You can use candy coating, almond bark, baker's chocolate (make sure it's SWEETENED), even chocolate chips.

I prefer these:

But if you live in the Basin good luck finding them! You can order them but they usually melt. However if you find yourself in SLC or Orem, pick some up! I like them better because they melt faster, easier, and they taste better. But the almond bark does better than chocolate chips. But use whatever you have. Just be careful to melt slowly and stir frequently!

You can melt in a double boiler (safest method) but not everyone has one, a small pot will work, but melt on LOW and stir frequently to prevent scorching. You can also melt in the microwave, but only melt for 30 seconds at a time, stopping and stirring in between. If you don't you will end up burning sections of the chocolate and then when you mix, it's all ruined.

(Trust me, I've done it!)

And P.S. make sure all your pans, bowls, utensils are dry, any liquid will solidify the chocolate defeating the purpose.

Now this part lacks pictures because you got to work quickly!

As soon as your chocolate is melted, remove your chilled dough balls and dip in chocolate. I say dip, but that's not what I do. I usually use one spoon to hold the ball (on the tip) and another to poor the chocolate over the top. I've heard of people using two forks, but when I tried that half my dough ended up in the chocolate. I've also actually painted the chocolate on which worked well but was pretty tedious. So whatever you feel most comfortable with. But these balls are gooey, as soon as the feel heat they start to get doughy again so whatever you do, do it quick.

I melted white almond bark and after I did some in white I added a few drops of red food coloring to make pink. Dipped some more, and then added even more food coloring for a darker pink. Add your sprinkles right after or they won't stick to the chocolate.

I used 16oz of chocolate (8 of the 2oz squares), and had some leftover. But that's always good. Cause there's always something that tastes better dipped in chocolate, like strawberries or pretzels, or remember those extra oreos?

mmmmm

This recipe is so universal. You can use any flavor oreos, like mint, or even nutter butters for a peanut butter flavored truffle. You can use any flavor melting chocolate, and any kind of decoration, for flavor or color.

Oh, the possibilities!!!

Enjoy!