These Whoopie Pies are pure heaven! If you love chocolate and almonds, this is the answer. The recipe is absolutely fool proof, guaranteed to turn out as I’ve shown.
Ingredients
Whoopie Pies
- 4 oz semi sweet chocolate
- 2 oz unsweetened chocolate
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tspn vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup dark cocoa powder
- 1/2 tspn baking powder
- 1 tspn kosher salt
Filling
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 1 cup slivered almonds toasted
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/2 tspn almond extract
- 1/2 cup melted dark chocolate
Instructions
Whoopie Pies
- Pre heat oven to 375° and position 2 racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
- Combine both kinds of chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl, and heat on high for 30 seconds. Remove, stir and return for another 30 seconds, stir again. If the chocolate is still quite solid, microwave for another 15-20 seconds, then remove and stir until the butter and the chocolate have been completely blended. Set aside to cool.
- Add sugar, eggs and vanilla in another bowl, and whisk together by hand, until eggs and the sugar have been combined.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder in another bowl and blend with a wire whisk
- Add egg mixture, stir with a fork or a whisk, then add the melted chocolate. Do not over mix.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and drop teaspoons full on the parchment, leaving room in between each to allow for spreading.
- Bake in a pre heated oven for 6-8 minutes, switching the position of the baking sheets halfway through.
- Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before moving the whoopie pies.
Filling
- Spread almonds on a flat sheet and place into a 350° oven for about 6-10 minutes or until the almonds become fragrant and begin to color. Remove from oven and reserve.
- Heat the milk in a medium sauce pan over medium heat until hot, no need to bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
- Pour 3/4 of the toasted almonds into the hot milk and steep for about 30 minutes, then, strain the milk and return to the sauce pan. Discard the almonds.
- Using a hand held mixer, beat sugar, egg yolks, corn starch and flour until thick, about 3-4 minutes on high speed.
- Pour some of the hot milk over the eggs, then add egg mixture to hot milk in the sauce pan, add almond extract and stir to combine.
- Return saucepan to medium heat, and cook STIRRING CONSTANTLY, until bubbles form in the pastry filling. If lumps form in the cream, just strain into a bowl through a fine sieve.
- Move cream to a small bowl and place cling wrap on top of the cream, refrigerate for an hour.
Finishing
- Place a generous dollop of the pastry cream filling on half of the whoopie pies, sprinkle with the remaining toasted almonds then cover with another whoopie pie
- Melt 1 ounce of bitter sweet chocolate with 2-3 table spoons of cream in a microwave safe dish on high for 30 seconds. Remove and stir until the chocolate is fully melted and combined with the cream.
- Drizzle melted chocolate over filled whoopie pies.
Author Notes
This is an Alex Guarnaschelli recipe and it is perfect. If you follow the recipe you will create the whoopie pies that I have shown. I did, and you cannot go wrong. I will change the size of the pies to a teaspoon for the next time I make this wonderful dessert. My version above is for a teaspoon of whoopie pie dough. This will yield a single bite, which I prefer.
