The next recipe on the Baked Sunday Mornings schedule is the Chocolate Whoopie Pies, on page 108, for February 12. This is a recipe for a very moist, deep-chocolate cookie and a light and fluffy vanilla filling, but Matt and Renato also provide a recipe for a peanut butter filling. It’s basically a matter of replacing the sugar in the original filling recipe for 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup light brown sugar, and folding in 1/4 cup of unsalted smooth peanut butter after adding the vanilla extract.

So, what’s it going to be? Vanilla, or peanut butter filling? Smaller whoopies, or massive Pennsylvania Dutch sized cookies?

Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Recipe source: Baked Explorations, p. 108

FOR THE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

3½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
¾ cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1/2 cup hot coffee
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cups canola oil
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature, shaken

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, and set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk together the cocoa and espresso powder. Add the hot coffee and 1/2 cup hot water and whisk until both powders are completely dissolved.

In a medium bowl, stir the brown sugar and oil together. Add this to the cocoa mixture and whisk until combined. Add the egg, vanilla and buttermilk and whisk until smooth.

Using a rubber spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Make sure to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl as you fold.

Use a small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism to drop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets about 1-inch apart. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick  inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean. Let the cookies cool completely on the pans while you make the Swiss vanilla filling.

FOR THE SWISS VANILLA FILLING

5 large egg whites
1½ cups sugar
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, cool but not cold
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites and sugar together. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water but do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Heat the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved and the color is milky white, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the egg mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high speed (start slowly at first) until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Remove the whisk attachment and replace with the paddle attachment. Add the cubed butter and beat on medium-high speed (start slowly at first) until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. If the buttercream looks like it is breaking, don’t worry, it will eventually come together.

Add the salt and vanilla and beat for 5 seconds to combine.

ASSEMBLE THE WHOOPIE PIES

Turn half of the cooled cookies upside down (flat side facing up).

Use an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon to drop a large dollop if filling onto the flat side of the cookie. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling. Press down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edges of the cookie. Repeat until all the cookies are used. Put the whoopie pies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up before serving.

The whoopie pies will keep for up to 3 days, on a parchment-lined baking sheet covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator. Bring the whoopies to room temperature before serving.

Our next recipe is for Speculaas, otherwise known as those addictive little Biscoff cookies they hand out on Delta Airlines. This is a simple recipe for a type of Dutch or Belgian shortbread with warm spicesL clove, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon. Note that the directions in the book erroneously refer to cardamom, which was eventually left out of the recipe (they were tested both with and without).

This round, we’re joining forces with Club Baked for a Baked-Along since our schedule happens to line up. Baked Sunday Mornings is happily serving as host for the Speculaas. As a result, our date is extended to February 1. We’ll work out details between now and the end of the month. And check out the Club Baked P&Q on the recipe here!

Speculaas
Yield: About 24 two-inch round cookies

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teasponn baking soda
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 stick) butter, cool but not cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
Coarse sugar

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and salt.

Drop the butter over the flour mixture, and use a large fork or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

Add the beaten egg and orange zest, and cut the mixture again until just combined.

Use your hands to knead the dough (do not overwork it) until it forms a ball. The dough should be slightly sticky and break apart easily, but shouldn’t stick to your hands. Cover it in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Unwrap and divide the chilled dough into two equal portions. Place one on a lightly flour-dusted work surface and return the other to the refrigerator.

Roll the dough into a 1/4-inch-thick round. You may have to flip and lightly flour the dough a few times while rolling ti out to keep it from sticking. Use any cookie cutter (a rectangular or oblong shape is the most traditional) to cut out the cookies, and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space around them. Extra dough scraps can be refrigerated and rerolled once more, if desired.

Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with coarse sugar. Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time. The tops of the cookie should be just a bit dry and dark brown. Remove from the oven and place the baking sheets on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the racks to cool completely.

Speculaas can be stored at room temperature, tightly covered, for up to 5 days.