Caramel Salted Whoopie Pies

After the success of the previous whoopie pies I thought I would try one of the more adventurous recipes and get out the special tin again. After much deliberating I went for the Caramel Salted Whoopies with a Caramel Swiss Buttercream from The Whoopie Pie Book, I love the combination of sweet with a touch of saltness.

It was quite a unusual recipe as you have to melt the butter into the milk and seems to use lots of different bowls. The actual sponge part of the whoopie is as easy as cupcakes and I have included the recipe at the end if you fancy giving it a go.

I didn't realise how much effort the buttercream would be until halfway through when I read the instruction to hand whisk for 10-15 minutes! I am not sure who could possibly do this and not end up with arm like Popeye so I got the electric whisk out too. It also recommends using a free standing mixer but I don't have one so again the hand whisk came to rescue (if anyone would like to spoil me with a ridiculously expensive pressie though I would love a KitchenAid,

preferably in purple). I then had an issue with the toffee I made as it set hard in the bowl so when I tried to pour it into the rest of the buttercream it was a solid lump, I tried to warm it up to soften it but that didn't work so in the end I broke it up in to tiny pieces and added it to the buttercream and to be honest it added a nice texture.

I dont think I would go to the effort of the buttercream again and they were still very sweet even with the salty element but the test is how fast they move when opened at work!

Caramel Salted Whoopies

Makes 18 in my whoopie tin

Ingredients:

• 300g plain flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 125g unsalted butter

• 200g light brown sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4 and grease your tin.

• In a bowl sift together the flour and baking powder. Stir in the salt and set aside. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the milk but don't let it boil. Remove from the heat and pour in a bowl to cool.

• In a separate bowl, beat together the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy, using an electric hand whisk. Add the dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Pour in the cooled milk mixture and stir until combined. chill for 30 mins.

• Drop the scoops of batter into the tin (you will need to do three tins!) and bake for 8-10 minutes.

• Remove from the oven to a wire rack and cool completely.

Caramel Swiss Buttercream

Ingredients:

• 40ml double cream

• 75g caster sugar, plus 50g

• 2 tbsp water

• 175g unsalted butter

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 2 large egg whites

• 1/4 tsp vanilla pure vanilla extract

Method:

• Have a whisk and the cream ready to use near the stove.

• Combine the 75g caster sugar and the water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally to help dissolve the sugar, but do not stir. turn the heat up to high and bring the syrup to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until it becomes very dark caramel in colour. Turn off the heat and pour in the cream, whisking continuously (be careful as it will

splatter). Transfer to a heat proof container to cool completely.

• In a bowl, beat the butter and salt with an electric whisk until fluffy.

• Combine the 50g caster sugar with the eggs white (the recipe suggests a free standing mixer but I just used my hand whisk). Place over a saucer of barely simmering water and whisk continuously by hand (I alternated with my electric hand whisk) until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is frofthy and slightly opaque, for 10-15 minutes.

• Transfer the bowl of egg whites to the freestanding mixer (again my electric hand whisk) and whisk until fluffy and cooled (about 10 mins). Once the mixture is cool enough, start adding the creamed butter. The mixture will curdle but them come back together. switch the the flat beater and mixing on meduim speed, pour in the caramel.

To assemble:

Spread a generous scoop of caramel swiss bottercream on the flat surface of the cooled whoopie. top with another whoopie

I also made some chocolate cupcakes with a simple buttercream icing as I had the time for a change!