Dark German Chocolate Whoopie Pies Recipes

DARK CHOCOLATE WHOOPIE PIES WITH TOASTED ALMOND CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 F.
• Make the pies: In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the unsweetened chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate and butter. Fill a pot (relatively the same size as the bowl) about 1/3 full with water and place it over medium heat. When the water simmers, place the bowl of chocolate and butter over the simmering water and lower the heat. You want to melt the chocolate and butter gently together, stirring and scraping the sides (to avoid scorching).
• In another bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and lemon zest. Set aside.
• Separately, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
• When the chocolate and butter is melted, remove the bowl from the heat; stir to assure it's completely mixed and transfer to another medium bowl. This will accelerate cooling. Allow the chocolate to cool a few minutes. Whisk in the egg mixture. Whisk in the flour mixture. Only whisk until blended, over-mixing can affect the texture of the pies.
• Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray (alternatively, use a piece of fitted parchment sprayed with nonstick spray). Drop the batter in large spoonfuls (keeping the shapes as round as possible) on the baking sheet. You are aiming for rounds that are about 2 inches in diameter. Take care to leave some room (about 2 inches) between each one to allow for spreading that will occur as they bake.
• Place the tray in the hot oven and bake for 6 to 8 minutes. Check the pies. Leave in the oven an additional minute or two if they seem under baked. The dough will lose some of its shiney-ness and no longer look wet but will still feel soft. Remove the tray from the oven and allow them to cool for about 5 to 10 minutes before gingerly lifting them off the baking sheet and onto a flat surface.
• Make the filling: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk to a simmer and add about 3/4 of the cup of the toasted almonds. Reserve the remaining almonds. Shut off the heat and allow the almonds to "steep" in the milk, for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain the milk and pour it back into the same pan, discarding the almonds from the milk.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat together the sugar, flour, cornstarch and egg yolks until thick and smooth, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Pour some of the hot milk mixture over the eggs and whisk to blend. Pour the egg mixture back into the milk; turn on a low to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the almond extract. Continue to cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to make sure it doesn't cling to the bottom of the pan and burn, until very thick. Pour the cream into a clean bowl. Stir in the remaining almonds. Cover tightly with a layer of plastic so the cream doesn't form a skin. Allow to cool.
• Assemble: "Sandwich" some of the cream in between two of the chocolate rounds. Drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired.

CHOCOLATE WHOOPIE PIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425. Lightly coat cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
• Whoopie Pies: In a mixing bowl, beat sugar and oil until crumbly. Add eggs and beat well. In separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
• Gradually beat flour mixture into sugar mixture. Add milk and mix together well.
• With lightly lightly floured hands, roll dough into 1 1/2" balls. Place balls 2" apart onto cookie sheets lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Flatten balls slightly with bottom of lightly greased flat-bottom glass.
• Bake at 425 for 5-6 minutes or until tops are cracked. Cool for 3 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.
• Filling: In a mixing bowl, beat together butter and confectioners' sugar. Beat in milk and extract until fluffy.
• Pipe filling using pastry bag (or spread w/ knife) on to flat bottom of cooled whoopie pie and top with another whoopie pie to make a sandwich.

DARK CHOCOLATE CAYENNE FOOTBALL WHOOPIE PIES

Steps:

• For the cakes: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Trace sixteen 3-inch footballs on 2 pieces of parchment paper using a plain-edge football cookie cutter. Flip the paper over and put each on a baking sheet. Set both baking sheets aside for later.
• Add the butter and brown sugar to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream until lightened and fluffy. Add the eggs one at time, mixing until fully incorporated.
• Sift the flour, cocoa powder, garam masala, baking powder, cayenne, salt and baking soda together in a bowl, then add to the stand mixer and beat in. Do not overmix.
• Pour the batter into a piping bag fitted with a round tip and pipe into football shapes on the lined baking sheets, starting by tracing the edges and filling in the middles. Bake until set, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the cakes to a cookie rack and cool completely.
• For the filling: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add the garam masala and vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined. Add 1/2 cup of the filling mixture to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip for creating the laces of the football. Add the remaining filling to another piping bag fitted with a bigger round tip.
• For the glaze: Mix the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons water
• together in a small bowl until thoroughly combined.
• Assemble the pies: Pour the glaze over half of the cakes. Set aside and allow to set. Pipe the football laces over the glaze. Meanwhile, turn the other football cakes over and pipe the garam masala filling on top. Top with the glazed cakes and press gently together.