Mini Chocolate Whoopie Pies (Martha Stewart)

Since the day that I baked my dark chocolate whoopie pies with toasted almond cream, my husband and son can't stop thinking of whoopie pies. Ops! I think I have created a constant craving for them... LOL! It was really funny to watch my son jumping with joy when he knew that I was baking these mini chocolate whoopie pies!

My husband and son couldn't wait to sink their teeth into one of these whoopie pies when I was serving these to them but were disappointed after they had their first bite. They kept saying that these whoopie pies were not as good as the one with toasted almond cream and I was quite surprised to witness their disappointment. I thought that these whoopie pies made with whipped dark chocolate ganache can be very chocolaty and comparatively good to eat but I have to agree with my husband and son after I tasted these whoopie pies.

To be honest, these whoopie pies can be as delicious as you can imagine... Just unfortunate that they can't compete with the ones that I made previously with toasted almond cream. To be fair, I think this recipe should not be entirely responsible for these not-so-ideal whoopie pies. Maybe we were expecting a little bit too much... or maybe the healthy freak me had changed their texture too much by replacing shortening with butter in this recipe...

My Mini Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Baking the whoopie rounds

Making the whipped chocolate ganache

Filling the pies

Yummy but not as good as the ones that I previously made with toasted almond cream

Here are the recipe from Martha Stewart
(with my modification in blue)

Mini Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Make 32

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda (replaced by baking powder)
Coarse salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening (replaced with butter)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar (I used dark muscovado sugar)
1 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Whipped Ganache

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (or 180°C fan forced). Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt into a medium bowl.

Beat shortening (butter), sugars, and butter with a mixer on high speed until smooth, about 3 mins. Add egg, and beat until mixture is pale and fluffy, about 2 mins.

Reduce speed to low. Mix in flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with milk and vanilla, beginning and ending with flour.

Drop mounds of dough (about 2 tsp each) onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing each 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched with a finger, 12 to 14 mins. Let cool on sheets set on wire racks for 10 mins. Transfer cookies to racks, and let cool completely.

Transfer whipped ganache to a disposable pastry bag, and snip a 1/2-inch opening. Pipe ganache (2 to 2 1/2 tsp each) onto flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing gently.

Note: Using this recipe, I have baked 40 medium sized whoopie pie rounds (20 whoopie pies) and they were baked for 180°C fan forced for 12 min.

Chocolate Ganache

8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (preferably 61% cacao)

(mine is 70% cocoa)
1 cup heavy cream
1/8 tsp coarse salt

Coarsely chop chocolate. A serrated knife is best for the job; its sawlike teeth grab the chocolate, breaking it up.

Bring cream just to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour over chocolate, and add salt. Let stand for 10 mins (don't stir - doing so will cool the ganache too quickly, making it grainy).

Stir with a whisk until smooth and shiny to break up any pieces and emulsify cream and chocolate.

Chocolate will often settle on the bottom or sides of the bowl. Scrape dish with a rubber spatula to incorporate all of it.

To make a whipped filling. Let ganache cool to room temperature, stirring often, 45 mins to 1 hr. (I didn't cool my ganache to room temperature before beating. My ganache was cooled while beating with an electric at its lowest speed for about 15 min. Then beat it on a higher speed until pale and fluffy.) Beat it with a mixer on medium-high speed until paler and fluffy, 2 to 4 mins. (This will yield about 2 cups.) Transfer to a disposable pastry bag with a large opening and use it as a filling for mini whoopie pies.

Note: Half amount of this recipe can fill 18 medium whoopie pies.

Happy Baking

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