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Quick Clementine Muffins

Hello all!

I know you are all so surprised to hear from me! But this is a quick post to share with you one of my favorite treats ever...

the muffin.

Because, no matter how many exams or papers I may have, I always have time for muffins. Like Jim Gaffigan said, "they're like muffin vitamins" and are important to maintaining my, erm, sanity to say the least.

So, clementine muffins. Simple, quick, delicious, and wonderfully reminiscent of the warmer weather I and my Northeast friends have been teased with these past few weeks. Will the warm weather stay? Probably not. Will these muffins stick around for long?

Short Hiatus

Hello fellow lovers of food,

It is a sad, sad time here at Rutgers...

midterms.

Would it be more fun to bake cookies and cake? Of course. But the demands of finance (as well as literary theory) beckon to me with a demanding finger, and I must answer.

But this is not so much of a hiatus as it is a "I will be posting less often because I am super busy"-iatus, so hopefully for you (and for me!) I will return to Sugar Mountain soon to post more sweet treats.

As always, happy baking!

~Jess

Samoa Whoopie Pies

Hello all,

Today I bring you another whoopie pie, but I must tell you, these are not like any other whoopie pie you may have tried before...

This is your favorite Girl Scout Cookie reborn into a decadent, moist, delicious dessert that is still easily portable and extremely addictive.

That's right: Samoas. My absolute favorite cookie ever.  The only issue I have with them (which I think you will all agree is a legitimate one) is that they don't put anywhere near enough cookies in one of those boxes. Let's be serious here Girl Scouts: I want to eat more than the meagre sixteen you put so delicately into one box. Okay, I know sixteen doesn't sound meagre, but leave that box in a kitchen with family members or roommates and you will realize that it is indeed never enough.

Now I know it's because they're delicate little cookies, and that it's really just the way the Girl Scouts get us to buy oh, say, a dozen boxes of each type of cookie, but I can't take it anymore. I need instant Samoa gratification and I need it now.

So, I found this stellar recipe on SweetLittleDetails and had to test it out for myself. How hard could it be?

Well, they're not so much difficult as they are a laborious. It's a many stepped process, but every step is needed to achieve chocolatey, caramel, coconut perfection.

Sigh. My life is complete.

Still want more? Check back next week for my final post on these sweet little sandwiches with Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies!

Samoa Whoopie Pies Via SweetLittleDetails

1 2/3 cups flour 

2/3 cup cocoa powder 

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup softened butter

1/4 cup shortening

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup milk

1 cup toasted coconut
1 cup chocolate chips, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate, larger bowl beat butter, shortening and sugar for a good 5 minutes or until well incorporated. Beat in egg and vanilla.

3. Beat in flour mixture and milk in two additions (1/2 flour + 1/2 cup milk, repeat) until well incorporated.

4. Measure out tablespoonfuls of batter onto cookie sheet, leaving plenty of space between for spreading. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until whoopie pies spring back lightly when touched. Let cool 5 minutes on pan before moving to cool entirely on wire rack.

Toasting Coconut: Spread coconut out onto rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning.

Chocolate Drizzle: Melt chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl on 30 second intervals until completely melted.

Caramel Buttercream

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup caramel syrup
1 tbsp + 2 tsp milk
3 cups powdered sugar

1. Beat butter and brown sugar, then beat in salt, vanilla, caramel syrup, and milk.
2. Slowly beat in powdered sugar.

Assembling Whoopie Pies:

Match up cookies according to size and pipe buttercream onto one cookie. Sprinkle toasted coconut on top of buttercream and then drizzle with chocolate. Place other cookie on top, pressing gently to secure. 

Pink Velvet Whoopie Pies

Happy Valentine's Day!

I am sure there are just about a ton of pink/red-themed dessert posts floating around by now, but is that really such a bad idea? I, for one, can always use more pink in my life.

Which is why it was slightly disappointing when my supposedly pink velvet whoopie pies turned from bright pink to, well...

Maybe I meant Peach Velvet?

I often go to "paint your own pottery" with my mom and they always say to make the color deeper than you want it because once it's baked (you were wondering where the relevance was weren't you?) it comes out much lighter.

Case and Point: whoopie pies that resemble my skin tone after I am out in the sun too long. Ugh.

So are they pretty in pink? No. I was a bit overdue for a less than beautiful baked good, especially after the adorable lemon blueberry cheesecake cookies and the super cute strawberry muffins.

But they ARE delicious, and for Valentine's Day it's the thought that counts. When I bring these over to my boyfriend tonight he will enjoy them regardless of the color, because I made them especially for him.

Plus they also gave me the chance to use my beautiful new baby blue cake stand (seriously, go get yourself a dozen; they're under $3 at Christmas Tree Shop in a slew of Spring colors).

 

 

I've included the recipe below from KokoCooks (whose whoopie pies are indeed pink) and so my only advice to you when you approach these - make sure you have a deep pink/red color before you bake. It will absolutely positively lighten by the time you take them out to cool.

Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Baking!

Pink Velvet Whoopie Pies Via KokoCooks

2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
red food coloring (as needed - at least 10 drops)
3/4 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate, larger bowl, whisk together sugar, egg, and oil until well combined. Whisk in vanilla and food coloring.
3. Fold in flour mixture and buttermilk in alternating batches, starting and ending with flour.
4. Scoop batter out with mini ice cream scoop and place (at least 2 inches apart) on cookie sheet.
5. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until a whoopie pie springs back lightly when touched.
6. Let cool 5 minutes on pan before transferring to wire cooling rack.
7. Match whoopie pie halves together according to size. Place large dollop of Marshmallow Filling in center of one half and place other cookie on top, pushing down slightly to spread filling.


Marshmallow Filling
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup marshmallow fluff
1/2 tsp vanilla
splash of heavy cream (or milk)

1. Combine all ingredients and beat until smooth.