Sweets/Sharing - Day 13

Mercy, is it Monday again already?!?

I know I am lagging behind with all the Valentine creativity I had hoped would happen for 14 DAYS STRAIGHT. I'm fairly certain the only thing I can bank on happening for 14 days straight is laundry.

But I thought I would post one of the recipes from yesterday's pictures, and I'll try to wow you tomorrow for the actual day. Which is almost a guarantee that it will be the 15th or 16th. ;) I'll try to post the Chocolate Cake with Heath/Butterscotch filling later in the week.

The first photos were of chocolate whoopie pies. I have tried a couple of different recipes and this one is my favorite. I cut it out of a Parade magazine last year when it was featured as author Jennifer Weiner's favorite treat to make with her kids. They are truly delicious. You may be wondering how I achieved the multi-layered look.

It goes like this:

The recipe is specific in stating you need parchment paper. Normally this is not an issue as I prefer to make all cookies that way. However, I kept forgetting to buy another roll EVERY TIME I was out and about. Combine that with my older-than-the-hills cookie sheet (that's right, I bake with one very worn in sheet - we like to keep it old school here) and you have a perfect formula for extremely flat whoopie pies that should be puffy and fluffy as pillows. They tasted fine, but I knew the flatness would upset the balance of chocolate to filling. (It wouldn't for me personally since I eat icing by the spoonful, but I realize others may have more sensitive palates.)

What to do, what to do??

Then I realized I could "smoosh" 2 pies together with a "smidge" of frosting in between. Once bitten into, I think they look like the inside of a Little Debbie Swiss Cake Roll (my personal fave!)

Drum roll, please.....

Classic Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Pies:
1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 TBSP unsalted butter, room temp
4 TBSP vegetable shortening (I used Crisco)
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups milk

Marshmallow Filling:
1 7 oz jar marshmallow fluff
1 1/4 cups Criso
1 cup powdered sugar
1 TBSP vanilla

Preheat oven to 375. Line cookie sheets (or sheet;) with parchment paper.

Combine dry ingredients. With a mixer beat butter, shortening and brown sugar on low until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat 2 more minutes.

Add half of flour mixture and half of milk to batter; beat briefly on low. Beat in remaining flour mixture and milk.

Drop 1 TBSP of batter onto parchment sheets. I actually used a decorating bag and squeezed out - I felt like I had more control of size and shape. Bake about 10 minutes until cookie/pie springs back to the touch.

Remove, let cool for 5 minutes, transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Mix frosting ingredients together, whip until fluffy. Pipe or spread between two (or four) whoopie pies and sandwich together....add sprinkles or sugars if desired.