I don't need much of an excuse to bake...and when a bride told me her wedding colors were plum and red, I started thinking about food for her shower. Thank goodness for Pinterest, I found Red Velvet Whoopie Pies with Salted Caramel Filling and of course, had to test the recipe! I adapted it a little, but here's the
link as well. Beautiful and delicious!
Red Velvet Whoopie Pies with Salted Caramel filling
Salted Caramel Filling - step 1
2 T. Water
1/3 Cup
Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Heavy
Cream, at room temperature
1/3 Cup Brown
Sugar, packed
1/4 Cup
Butter, at room temperature
1/2 Teaspoon
Salt
To make the
caramel: In a small thick-bottomed
saucepan mix together the water and the granulated sugar until well blended.
Bring to a boil over medium-low heat and continue boiling until the mixture
turns a light caramel color, only stirring once every four minutes. This took
me about eight minutes, but the speed will depend upon the heat of your
stovetop. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly stir in the heavy
cream, butter, and brown sugar until incorporated. Be careful as the mixture
will spit and hiss a bit. If the sugar begins to clump up when you're stirring
do not fret, just stir as best as you can for about 30 seconds and then put the
pot back on the heat and bring it back to a boil again over medium-low heat.
Once it is boiling again stir until the sugar chunk dissolves and the mixture
is smooth. Once it smoothes out, stir it every two minutes and allow the
mixture to simmer for 10-12 minutes or until it has thickened. Remove from the
stovetop and stir in the salt. Allow to cool to room temperature before placing
it in the refrigerator to continue cooling. Once cooled, you want the caramel
to be thick enough where it can be used as a filling without oozing everywhere,
but still soft enough to mold with your hands into a soft ball. If yours is
still liquidy after a stint in the refrigerator, bring it to a simmer and cook
again for a few minutes until it thickens a bit, then cool it down again.
Red Velvet Whoopie Pies - step 2
2 Cups Flour
2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ Cup Butter, softened
1 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½ Cup buttermilk
1-3 teaspoons red food coloring
To make the
Red Velvet Whoopie Pies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a
large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together
the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended. Set aside.
Beat the butter in a stand mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds, then add the
brown sugar and beat for 1 minute more or until creamed together.
Add the egg
and the vanilla extract and continue mixing until they're fully combined. Now
alternate between adding a bit of the flour mixture and a bit of the buttermilk
until they have been completely incorporated. Turn the speed to a low setting
and add the red food coloring, starting with 1 teaspoon. Add until you get the color you like.
Use a
tablespoon to scoop a bit of the batter and place it on the parchment paper in
rows with about 2 inches between each whoopie pie... Place the baking sheet in
the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the tops of the whoopie pies are
set. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the pan to cool for 5 minutes
before removing the whoopie pies and allowing them to cool completely on a wire
rack.
When the whoopie pies are
completely cooled, take a teaspoon to a tablespoon (depending on the width of
your whoopie pies) of the salted caramel and roll it into a ball in your hand,
then press it between your palms to flatten it. Place the little caramel disc
on an upside down whoopie pie. Sprinkle
a few sea salt crystals on top of the caramel and then place a right-side up
whoopie pie on top to make a little sandwich. Repeat until you use up all the
whoopie pies or all of the caramel. The assembled whoopie pies can be stored in
an airtight container for 3 days.
