Claire Ptak - The Whoopie Pie Book: 60 Irresistible Recipes for Cake Sandwiches Classic and New

PRAISE FOR
the whoopie pie book

An absolutely gorgeous book by my favorite cake maker in the whole world. JAMIE OLIVER

Claire Ptak creates the very best desserts: Simple, delicious, pure. This is a charming book that perfectly captures its subject. ALICE WATERS

Claire has taken store cupboard basics and turned them into a book of recipes so delicious youll want to eat the pages. APRIL BLOOMFIELD

Claire Ptak is my favorite baker. Her competent yet whimsical style imbues everything she bakesfrom a classic French apple tart to the humble whoopie piewith a delicate magic. DAVID TANIS, author of A Platter of Figs and Heart of the Artichoke

60 IRRESISTIBLE RECIPES FOR CAKE SANDWICHES
CLASSIC AND NEW

CLAIRE PTAK

THE WHOOPIE PIE BOOK: 60 Irresistible Recipes for Cake Sandwiches Classic and New
Copyright Claire Ptak 2010, 2011
Photography by Colin Campbell (2010)

All rights reserved. Except for brief passages quoted in newspaper, magazine, radio, television, or online reviews, no portion of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

The Experiment, LLC
260 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10001-6408
www.theexperimentpublishing.com

Originally published in Great Britain in 2010 in somewhat different form by Square Peg, an imprint of the Random House Group Limited.

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and The Experiment was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been capitalized.

The Experiments books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk for premiums and sales promotions as well as for fundraising or educational use. For details, contact us at info@theexperimentpublishing.com.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011930200
ISBN 978-1-61519-039-3
Ebook ISBN 978-1-61519-141-3

Cover design by Susi Oberhelman
Cover and interior photographs by Colin Campbell
Food styling by Claire Ptak | Styling assistant: Adriana Nascimento
Text design by Pauline Neuwirth, Neuwirth & Associates, Inc.

Printed in China
Distributed by Workman Publishing Company, Inc.
First U.S. edition published September 2011
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

for my mom elisabeth

(Timeless classicsand new favorites...)

(Elegant, retro, or chicdressed-up whoopie pies ...)

(Dessert-worthy whoopie pies with fresh fruit, chocolate, and caramel...)

(Whoopie pies as ice-cream sandwiches...)

(Fun and festive twists on tradition...)

(Other sweet sandwiches and a couple more recipes I think youll love...)

A WHOOPIE PIE is not a cookie or a typical cake, and its definitely not a pie. A whoopie pie is somewhere between a cupcake and an ice cream sandwicha cupcake with the icing in the middle. These cake sandwiches are popping up in bakeries and coffee shops everywhere, but many can be dry and heavy. The essence of a good whoopie pie is the soft, tender crumb of the cake and the fluffy, creamy filling. Follow these recipes carefully and you will have wondrous results.

Whoopie pies originated in the United States in the 1920s, though their precise birthplace is still under debate. These cake sandwiches have been showing up in the lunch boxes of the Pennsylvania Amish for generations (the story goes that the Amish farmers wives made them from leftover cake batter as a lunch treat for their husbands) and bakeries and gas stations in the state of Maine have been selling them for years. They now have an international following, partly because everyone seems to be in search of a new cake to replace the ever-popular cupcake, but mostly because they are just so delicious.

I love individual cakes that are not too fussy. I make and sell cupcakes, cakes, and savory treats at Violet, my East London bakery. When we added whoopie pies to the menu, early skeptics were surprised at how soft and moist they were without being overly sweet. This book will show you how to make them at home using fresh, seasonal ingredients, the way I approach all my baking.

The original whoopie pie combines chocolate cake with a marshmallow filling. Today, most recipes rely on a marshmallow spread from a jar. Ive taken that idea and updated it with a completely fresh marshmallow filling made with egg whites, sugar, and golden syrup, which is then sandwiched between rounds of the softest chocolate cake youve ever eaten.

Typically, whoopies are made in 4-inch rounds, just the right size to hold in your hand for eating. Ive given instructions for making smaller-sized ones, toowhich are perfect for childrens tiny fingers, or when you want just a little treat, and great for serving at parties. Youll find plenty of recipes for other whoopie pie bases, too, including pumpkin, strawberry, and mocha, as well as ideas for mouthwatering fillings flavored with fruit pures or enriched with homemade caramel.

Whoopie pies can also be used to make sticky, gooey desserts, and Ive included variations on traditional British sweets such as rhubarb and custard and American favorites such as banana cream pie. Or the pies can be frozenmy personal favoriteas with my oatmeal ice cream sandwich. The last chapter features a selection of other sweet sandwiches, including peanut butter sandwich cookies and an easy macaroon. I also threw in my favorite brownie recipe, and topped it with ice cream, chocolate sauce, and preserved cherries... why not?

The Amish are given credit for pioneering the idea of putting the icing or frosting inside the cakes to make them easier to transport in lunch boxes. Schoolchildren and farmers are said to have responded to finding these special treats in their lunches with a resounding Whoopie! Its truethese delicious cream-filled treats will make you smile.

Many of you will already have all the equipment and tools that you need for the job of making whoopie pies: a large mixing bowl or two, measuring cups and measuring spoons, a good whisk, baking sheets.

If you are interested in getting a little more serious about your baking and want to achieve foolproof results, then I highly recommend a standing mixer such as a KitchenAid mixer. The flat beater paddle attachment will cream the butter and sugar until perfectly light and fluffy, and the whisk will give you billowy white meringues and Swiss buttercream icings.