Snowflake Whoopie Pies

 I do so hope that you won't laugh too much at what you see here today, and that you won't take one look and decide these aren't for you, coz if you do you will be missing out on something really special.  These cookies are fabulously delicious.  Presentation has never been my strong point . . .  and these just prove my point!

 

These are supposed to have pretty little snowflakes piped on top, but as you can see I didn't quite pull it off!  My icing kept running off of the whoopies.   With my sore arm, I tried to take a shortcut and used a ready made piping icing . . .  supposed to be crystal white.

 

 I thought to myself, oh that will be so pretty  . . .  all sparkly just like ice crystals.  FAIL!



So then I thought  . . .  I'll dust them with a bit of icing sugar which will highlight the snowflake pattern.  MEGA FAIL!



So what I ended up with is really messy looking biscuit/cookies that taste incredibly delicious.  Oh well, you can't be good at everything I guess!  Dare I show you what they should like like?   Oh go on!



 I am not ashamed . . .  well, not that much.  Do try these.  They are delicious.  Just don't take any shortcuts on the piped icing.   Make it from scratch.   Adapted from a recipe in the cookbook entitled, A Year Full of Recipes by Love Food.  (I could kick myself when things like this happen.)

*Snowflake Whoopie Pies*

Makes approx. 14 double cookies

Printable Recipe 

Pretty to look at and pretty delicious!  Buttery almond flavoured cakes filled with a rich buttercream.

200g plain flour (1 1/2 cups less 1 1/2 TBS)

2 tsp baking powder

large pinch salt

55g of ground almonds (2/3 cup)

115g of butter, softened (1/2 cup)

150g sugar ( 3/4 cup)

1 large egg, beaten

1 tsp almond extract

100ml milk (3.5 fluid ounces)

1 TBS silver balls for decorating

Buttercream to fill:

150g of butter, softened (scant 2/3 cup)

8 TBS double cream

280g icing sugar, sifted (2 1/4 cups)

To decorate:

115g of icing sugar (scant cup)

1 to 2 TBS warm water

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Have ready two to three large baking sheets which you have lined with greaseproof paper.   Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir in the almonds.  Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg and the almond extract.   Stir in the flour mixture in two lots, stirring in the milk between both lots.  Beat until thoroughly incorporated.

Pipe or spoon 28 equal shaped mounds, 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.  Bake in the preheated oven, one baking sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes until rise and just firm to the touch.  Allow to cool for five minutes before transferring carefully to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the buttercream, place the butter into a bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes until pale and creamy.  Beat in the cream and then gradually beat in the icing sugar.  Beat for several minutes until light and fluffy.

To make the decorating icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and gradually stir in enough water to make a smooth, thick icing that is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.

Spread the buttercream onto the flat side of half of the cookies.  Top with the rest of the cakes.  Spoon the decorating icing into a small piping bag, snip the end an dpipe snowflake patterns on top of the whoopie pies, decorating with silver balls.  Dust with some more icing sugar and leave to set.

Todd loved these even if they weren't going to be winning any beauty contests!  Nobody can say I pretend to be anything I am not, with me you get the real thing . . . warts and all!