oz/½ cup lightly packed) soft brown sugar vanilla whoopie pies
with white chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 175°C (340°F/Gas 3–4). Grease and flour 2 baking trays or 3 whoopie pie tins. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt together into a large bowl. Place the sugar and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed for 1–2 minutes or until light and creamy. Add the vanilla seeds and egg and beat for a further minute. Reduce the speed and add the flour mixture, in 3 batches, alternating with the milk and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as required.
Place 1½-tablespoon amounts of batter about 5 cm (2 inches) apart on the trays and bake for 8–10 minutes or until cooked through. Cool for 5 minutes on the trays, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Meanwhile to make the buttercream, place the eggwhite and sugar in the top of a double boiler over medium heat and whisk for 3–4 minutes or until warm and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat. Using electric beaters, beat the mixture on medium–high speed for 6–7 minutes or until glossy and stiff peaks form. Reduce the speed and add the butter, 1 cube at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat for 2–3 minutes. Add the vanilla seeds and beat to combine.
Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1 cm (½ inch) plain nozzle and pipe 2 tablespoons of filling onto half of the cookies. Sandwich with the remaining cookies and roll the sides of the pies in the chocolate chips to coat.
MAKES 15
260 g (9¼ oz/1¾ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
pinch of salt
110 g (3¾ oz/½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
95 g (3 oz/½ cup lightly packed) soft brown sugar
125 g (4½ oz) unsalted butter
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1 egg
250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) milk
170 g (6 oz/1 cup) mini white chocolate chips, for decoration
VANILLA BUTTERCREAM
3 eggwhites
145 g (5 ¼ oz/
cup) caster (superfine) sugar
160 g (5 oz) unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped