Whoopie Pie

Photo proved by Sadiq Photography Blog (Click here)

What is a whoopie pie? Two sponge-like biscuits sandwiched together with icing. Rumor has it that these baked treat were invented by Amish women who would use leftover cake batter to make biscuits and sandwich them together using icing. Whoopie pies got their name because the men would shout "WHOOPIE!" when they see what was in their lunch baskets.

So to celebrate the American election and hopefully all-things Obama, here's my recipe for whoopie pies. Definitely worth a try.

300g plain flour

30g dark cocoa powder

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon of salt

250ml buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

110g soften unsalted butter

200g golden caster sugar

2 eggs

Icing:

280g giant white marshmallows

150ml double cream

250g cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

Method: 

Place flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in small bowl and whisk together until evenly combined.

Pour the buttermilk and vanilla into a small jug and stir together.

In a large bowl whisk the sugar and butter together with electric hand beater until pale and creamy, then separate the eggs and whisk in yolks until smooth.

Alternately beat the buttermilk and dry flour mixtures into creamed butter and sugar until all incorporated.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form then gently fold into woopie mixture using a metal spoon and gently transfer mixture into piping bag.

Line 2 large baking trays with parchment paper and pipe 8 even blobs onto each tray leaving large gaps between each whoopie pie. Bake in oven at 180ºC for 12 minutes. Once baked, leave to cool completely. 

For the icing place marshmallow, cream, cream cheese and vanilla in large bowl and place over a pot of simmering water to melt. Stir marshmallow every now and then until melted and all ingredients and well combined. Remove bowl from heat and place mixture in the fridge for around 15 minutes to cool down.

Once the icing is at room temperature, whip it using an electric handmixer until light and fluffy. 

Evenly spoon the icing onto 8 of the whoopie biscuits and sandwich together with remaining of the whoopie biscuits. Leave to set for half an hour before eating. 

Tiramisu Cake

Tiramisu meaning 'Pick me up'.Breaking the rules slightly I've used a french sponge mixture (Genoise) in a typically Italiano dessert. I know Rome will never have me again but I prefer a more avant garde approach to cooking.
Rich, creamy, sweet, bitter and will have you up awake in the middle of the night in a sweat panting.


SPONGE:
150g plain flour
150g caster sugar
3 large eggs
60g butter
1 teaspoon baking powder

CHEESE FILLING:
3 egg yolks
80g sugar
2 tablespoon water
250ml double cream
400g mascarpone

COFFEE SYRUP:
200ml coffee espresso shots
125ml Kahlua
75g sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

GARNISH:
50g bitter dark chocolate
1/2 teaspoon dark cocoa powder

METHOD:
To make the sponge grease 2 sandwich cake tins 20cm diameter with butter and then line the base and sides seperatly with parchment paper, pre-heat the oven to 180oC.
Place a small pot of water on medium high heat and bring to boil. In a large stainless steal or glass mixing bowl crack the eggs and add the sugar, beat together till evenly combind and place over boiling water turn the heat down to medium. Beat the eggs and sugar together over the heat till the mixture has quadrupled in voloum and is a pale creamy colour then remove from heat and keep beating till the mixture has cooled down completely (use a eletric beater if you're struggling with a whisk and arm action). Place the butter in a small sauce pan and melt over a high heat till it turns nutty and brown then remove from the heat to cool slightly. Sieve the flour and baking powder together then using a metal spoon gently fold the dry mixture into the eggs a third at a time till just under combined then carefully fold in the butter till just mixed. Divide the sponge mixture evenly between the sandwich cake tins and bake in  oven on middle shelf for 15 minutes. Once cooked the sponges will be slightly springy to the touch, leave to cool for 10 minutes before tipping out of the tin.
Now make the coffee syrup, pour the coffee and sugar in a small pot and place on a low heat and stir till the sugar has dissolved then take off heat and add the Kahlua and vanilla put aside to cool.
To make the cheese filling beat together the yolks, sugar, water and 2 tablespoons of the coffee syrup in a medium stainless steal or glass mixing bowl and place over a small pot of simmering water. Whisk till pale and creamy should take around 8-10 minutes,  remove from heat and leave to cool completely.
In a large mixing bowl whisk the cream till just whipped and slightly floppy then fold in the mascarpone and finally mix in the cooled yolk mixture a third at a time till just incorporated.
Length ways cut the sponges evenly in half.
To construct the tiramisu place one slice of the sponge on a serving plate and drizzle a 8th of the coffee syrup over the sponge. Followed by spooning a quarter of the cheese filling into the center of the sponge and gently spread over the surface till 1cm from the edge, dribbled a few drops of coffee syrup over the cheese filling, repeat this process 3 more times.
To garnish melt the dark chocolate and drizzle in circles over the top of the tiramisu then using a small fine sieve tap the cocoa powder over the surface of the tiramisu and place in fridge for at least an hour to set before serving.

Dirty Brownies

Buy far the naughtest of all my creations. At work I make around 6 batches of these brownies a day and still can't keep up with the demand. These brownies have officially been named the best in London.

300g Dark Belgium chocolate drops (53% cocoa solids)

100g Cocoa (24% cocoa fat)

4 Eggs

150ml Cream

250g unsalted butter

100g plain flour

500g sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking powder

Method:

Third fill a small pot with water and place on high heat element, dice the butter in to small cubes and place in a medium sized stainless steel mixing bowl with chocolate. Once the water has come to a simmer place the bowl on the pot (make sure the bottom of the bowl isn’t touching the water as this sometimes splits the chocolate) and stir occasionally till the butter and chocolate are melted and well combined then remove from heat. Add the cream, eggs and vanilla to the mixture and beat till well combined. In a large mixing bowl place in the sugar, flour, cocoa, and baking powder and mix together with a spatchular or wooden spoon then pour in the wet mixture and mix the wet and dry together till smooth.

Line a 12x9 inch (1 inch deep) baking tray with parchment paper and pour the brownie batter into the tray, even out with the back of a spoon and bake at 180oC for 30-35minutes.

The brownie should still be a bit soft and wobbly when removed from the oven. Leave the brownie too cool for 8 hours before cutting, makes 16.