<Mini Chocolate Whoopies>
(for the cakes)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup soft light brown sugar
seeds of 1 vanilla bean
1 egg
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 oz. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 cup buttermilk
(for the filling)
2 egg whites
2/3 cup superfine sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 oz. unsweetened cocoa powder
4~5 drops peppermint extract
(for the topping)
3 1/2 oz. dark chocolate, melted
24 fresh mint leaves
[how to make]
(for the cakes)
*Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
*Line 2 baking trays with baking parchment.
*Whisk the butter, sugar and vanilla seeds together until light and creamy.
*Whisk in the egg.
*In a separate bowl, sift the flour with the cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
*Fold half into the butter mixture, mix in the buttermilk, then add the remaining dry ingredients and stir to combine.
*Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain nozzle, pipe 24 1 1/4" rounds of cake mixture 1 1/2" apart on each baking tray.
*Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cakes bounce back when gently pressed.
*Transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool.
(for the filling)
*Put the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl and place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water.
*Using an electric whisk, whisk the ingredients together until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is white and hot.
*Remove the bowl from the heat and continue to whisk the mixture on high speed until the bottom of the bowl starts to cool down.
*Turn the speed down to low and whisk in the butter, about 1 T at a time, making sure that each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next.
*Fold in the sifted cocoa powder and peppermint extract and mix gently until fully incorporated.
(for the assembly)
*Place a tablespoon of filling on to the flat side of one cake and top with the flat side of another.
*Repeat with the remaining cakes and filling to make 24 pies.
*When you are ready to serve them, spread a little melted chocolate over the tops, and place a mint leaf on each one.
-makes 24-
Note: I found this recipe in "The Perfect Afternoon Tea" by Antony Wild & Carol Pastor.
<Mini crepe cakes>
(for the crepes)
250g whole milk
3g orange zest
37g unsalted butter, room temperature
75g eggs
125g pastry flour
20g granulated sugar
2g salt
20g orange liqueur
(for the chocolate cream)
190g whole milk
40g egg yolks
50g granulated sugar
15g cornstarch
12g unsalted butter, room temperature
85g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
(for the topping)
50g pistachios
50g granulated sugar
12g water
24 whole shelled pistachios
gold dust (optional)
[how to make]
(for the crepe)
*In a small saucepan, bring the milk and orange zest to a simmer.
*Remove from the heat, add the butter and stir until melted.
*Pour the mixture into a small narrow container such as a 1L(1quart) plastic deli container.
*Add the eggs, pastry flour, sugar, salt and orange liqueur and blend with an immersion blender until combined.
*Refrigerate the batter for at least 1 1/2 hours, up to a maximum of 2 days.
*Blend the cold batter with an immersion blender for 10 seconds to make it more fluid and easier to work with.
*Place two half sheet pans lined with parchment paper next to the stove.
*Heat a 8" nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot, about 1 1/2 minutes.
*Pour 65g of the batter directly into the center of the skillet.
*Immediately tilt the skillet and let the batter come just to the edge of the flat surface before turning it in a circular motion to coat the entire bottom of the skillet without going up the sides.
*Cook until the top of the crepe is barely wet and the edges are just starting to brown, about 10 seconds.
*Transfer the crepe to the sheet pan to cool.
*Continue to cook until you have 7 crepes.
*Cool completely, and stack the cooled crepes with parchment paper in between each one.
(for the chocolate cream)
*Place the milk, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and butter into a 1 L(1 quart) plastic deli container.
*Blend the ingredients with an immersion blender, and then place the container in the microwave.
*Cook on high until the pastry cream looks curdled on top and jiggles when you shake the container about 2 minutes.
*Blend the cream again with the immersion blender until smooth, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the container as you mix.
*The hot pastry cream will have the consistency of a thick soup and coat the back of a spoon.
*Stir in the chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute to melt before blending again.
*Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream and refrigerate.
(for the topping)
*Line a half sheet pan with a silicone baking mat.
*Chop the pistachios by hand into tiny pieces, slightly smaller than the size of a lentil.
*In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium heat.
*Heat the sugar until it reaches 240 degrees.
*Add the pistachio pieces and stir with a wooden spoon to coat.
*Continue to cook over medium heat, slowly stirring.
*The sugar will seize up and crystalize.
*When that happens, remove the saucepan from the heat and break up the pistachio pieces with the spoon.
*Return to the heat, stirring constantly.
*The sugar will melt and then start to caramelize.
}The pieces will begin to look brown.
*Once the nuts are fragrant and covered in a deep brown caramel, remove from the heat and pour the nuts onto the silicone mat.
*Spread out into a single layer and allow to cool.
(for the assembly)
*Transfer the cold pastry cream to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
*Mix on medium-high until smooth, about 30 seconds.
*Place 1 crepe on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
*Spread 40g of pastry cream evenly over the entire surface of the crepe.
*Top with a second crepe and spread another 40g of cream over the surface.
*Continue to layer until you have 6 layers of cream and 7 layers of crepes.
*Spread a thinner layer of 25g of pastry cream over the top.
*Place the layered crepes in the freezer to freeze completely.
(If the center is not initially frozen, the layers will not cut as evenly.)
*Remove the crepes from the freezer and allow them to soften just enough so you can barely cut through them with a pastry cutter, about 20 minutes at room temperature.
*Using a 3cm round pastry cutter of at least the same height, cut a circle out of the crepe layer cake, pushing the cutter all the way through the bottom crepe and using your finger to push the layers up and through the top of the cutter.
*Continue cutting circles, as close together as possible so there is little to no waste, until you have 24 total.
*Break up the caramelized pistachio pieces with your fingers and push them onto the top layer of cream to cover the surface.
*Brush the whole pistachios with a damp pastry brush dipped in gold luster dust.
*Place a gold pistachio on top of each mini layer cake.
-makes 24-
Note: I found this recipe in "Petite Patisserie" by Cheryl Wakerhauser.
