PASSION FOR WHOOPIE PIES--THE RED VELVET KIND

Ok, I know I'm probably late to the party on this, I mean whoopie pies have been around since the 1920s.  But hey, it's not the first time.  I was still buying LPs and 45s in the 90s (those are vinyl records people).  I didn't get an ipod till a few years ago and don't even get me started on cell phones.

I quite enjoy dessert in general, particularly cake and the more icing the better, of the cream cheese variety the most, though I don't discriminate.  My one caveat is no coconut no nuts, but otherwise, all flavors are good to go.  I've tried all the desserts and I really enjoy the ones with heft to them.  I need the thick, cakey, doughy kind.  Cupcakes, cookies, pies, doughnuts, etc.  Ice cream need not apply--it's like Chinese food to me, doesn't fill me up and I'm still hungry after a bowl.  Growing up my grandmother used to cook cakes for folks and her specialties were Red Velvet, Pineapple, Banana and Apple Spice.  She passed her recipes and skill down to my mom and any cake they made was always my favorite and I looked forward to whichever one they would cook for my birthday.  These days, since both have passed, I have to content myself with my own cooking skills or those of the SO, who does a great job, though let's face it, no one ever cooks as good ones own mom.

The current cupcake craze that has swept through San Francisco is great for me as sometimes a whole cake is too much but a mini or large cupcake satisfies just as well.  And there are at least a dozen places in town that can fill the need, some better than others but for the most part they all do a decent job.  Several of these places have branched out recently and begun making whoopie pies.  I seen and tasted chocolate with cream filling and red velvet with cream cheese filling and the red velvet is the one that gets my taste buds sweating.  It has a distinct advantage over the red velvet cupcake as there is usually more of the cream cheese filling spread evenly between two lusciously moist layers of red colored chocolate cake, heaven in every bite.  It's better than the cupcake as sometimes you run out of frosting or in my case a few times the damn frosting fell off into a splat on the sidewalk.  Needless to say I was not happy.

I crave my desserts and when they go wrong it can cloud my whole day or meal.  God forbid I'm at a restaurant and we've had a great dinner and then the dessert comes and it ain't good, it will sour me on the whole experience.  Sometimes I look at the dessert menus of quite a number of places we have been and I will just skip dessert (I'll make the SO stop at a donut place or bakery on the way home instead) because I can tell from the descriptions that they will not be good.  It is a pet peeve of mine with a fair number of restaurants here in the Bay Area, they put so much effort into their food and then dessert is an after thought.  I mean look at that show Top Chef, most of those folks don't even want to try making a dessert and when they do, they usually get sent home.  I have the utmost respect for pastry chefs, recipes and measurements have to be exact, you can't just wing.  They make it look easy on TV but that's just good editing.

Currently I've had the red velvet whoopie at three places: Starbucks (they have minis--eh ok) Sweet Vanilla Bakeshop (the best--had them at a Forage SF Underground Market--2 for $5!) Teacake Bake Shop (very good)  But I'm still looking and still sampling and below is the recipe I'll be trying--cause then I can add as much icing as I want!

For the Cookies:
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped

• 1/2 ounce milk chocolate, chopped
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (cake flower works better)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 
  
• For the Filling:
• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• A few drops real vanilla extract (and maybe a small dash of almond extract-personal choice)
• 
  
• Directions
• Make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the semisweet and milk chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 50 percent power until melted, about 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth.

• Whisk the melted butter, sour cream, eggs, vinegar, vanilla and food coloring in a bowl until combined. In another bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

  Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in four equal batches, whisking each batch completely before adding the next. Stir in the melted chocolate.

  Scoop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter onto the prepared baking sheets and smooth the tops with a damp finger. Bake until the cookies spring back when lightly pressed, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

  Meanwhile, make the filling: Beat the cream cheese and butter with a mixer until smooth. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla seeds. Sandwich a heaping tablespoonful of filling between 2 cookies; repeat with the remaining cookies and filling. Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving or consume instantly which is usually what I would do.  

  Enjoy and cheers.

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