Miss GF has been making gluten free Chocolate & Mint Whoopie Pies and they’re good! It has to be one of my all time favourite flavour pairings and I think it may be becoming one of hers too.
There is a perfect contrast both in taste and colour between dark, rich, decadent chocolate and cool, light, tingly, green mint. It’s a harmonious marriage of opposites which just ‘works’.
I love when I come home to find Miss GF creating in the kitchen. it amazes me every time I find her there, that a child of eleven can be so confident with a bowl, spoon and a container of (gluten free) flour.
I say I love coming home to the baking, which is always a joy, but there is a dual creativity happening and the creation of washing up and kitchen calamity that often accompanies it is less so. I admit, I have not always been the most patient around mess in the kitchen. I tend to be a fairly tidy baker….. clearing and washing up as I go….. frequently wiping down surfaces and getting utensils out as I need them.
Children do not think in my orderly way as a rule, or plan ahead for what they need and at times, this has lead to my being less that ‘positive’ when I have returned to piles of greasy, batter-smeared bowls, spoons and pans and several open abandoned packets of ingredients. At times I confess, I have been more than a tad grumpy and I have often scolded myself later for not just stepping back and allowing her ‘to be’.
I have got better…. I think…… and mostly will now walk in and just quietly clear up around her. Regardless of my underlying intolerance of mess, I am so so proud of how imaginative and skilful she is when baking and I would hate for that enthusiasm to be dampened.
Her Chocolate & Mint Whoopie Pies were a random, seemingly unplanned bake, but were no less delicious for it. The recipe amalgamated a handful of others she had found and was then de-glutened using some gluten free, rice-free flour blend that I had left over from my experimenting with some baguettes. Either way, she did a fab job….. soft but firm individual chocolatey mounds of cake, sandwiched together with fresh, bright, mint butter icing…… half dipped in dark chocolate and topped with broken cigarillos found wanting and left over from an Easter cake that I made back in April.
These little Chocolate-Mint morsels would be a perfect offering at any time and for any occasion, although we just ate them because we could!
I am sharing Miss GF’s Whoopie creations with :
Bake of the Week with Mummy Mishaps and Casa Costello
We Should Cocoa with Tin & Thyme – I know there is a one entry per blog limit on Choclette’s linky, but I am hoping that since this entry is not mine, but from Miss GF, that we might be able to sneak it in….
Brilliant Blog Posts with Honest Mum
Other Gluten Free Chocolate-Mint Recipes on Gluten Free Alchemist :
Chocolate-Mint ‘After Eight’ Ice Cream Cake Sandwiches
Double Mint-Choc-Chip Ice Cream
Layered Choc-Mint Christmas Tree Cake
Minty Chocolate Brownies
Chocolate Mint Birthday Bundt
No Churn Mint Choc-Chip Ice Cream
Chocolate & Mint Whoopie Pies (makes about 16 whoopie pies)
Ingredients
20g white teff flour
20g buckwheat flour
60g tapioca flour
20g potato starch
30g cornflour
(or substitute with 180g rice free flour blend from this post or an equivalent 185g flour blend such as Free From Fairy Flour – see sidebar for link)
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
40g cocoa powder
½ teaspoon GF baking powder
1½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
125 ml milk
¾ tablespoon white wine vinegar
125g unsalted butter (room temperature)
2 large eggs – room temperature
Mint Butter Icing
125g unsalted softened butter
approx 250g icing sugar
1 (approx) tablespoon milk
a few drops of peppermint extract
a little green food colouring paste
approx 160g dark chocolate
sprinkles for decoration (optional)
Method
- Sponges : Weigh and mix together the flours, xanthan gum, cocoa, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, making sure any lumps are broken down (I mix up in a large airtight container and shake vigorously).
- Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4. Base-line 3 large baking sheets with baking paper.
- Mix the milk with the white wine vinegar in a jug and leave to stand for about 10 minutes (the mixture will become quite lumpy).
- In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, butter and vanilla until pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each until smooth and combined.
- Add and fold in the flour mixture alternately with the milk to the butter-egg mix, until you have a smooth, thick batter.
- Spoon the mixture into a large piping bag, fitted with a 1 cm round plain nozzle and pipe onto the lined trays, into round, slightly flattened mounds (roughly equal in size and leaving a gap for a little spreading between each), about 3 to 4 cm in diameter.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the tops are firm to touch.
- Allow to cool slightly on the trays, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the Mint Icing : Beat the butter in a large bowl until soft and creamy.
- Gradually add and beat in the icing sugar a little at a time, with a little milk as needed if the mixture becomes too stiff.
- Add the mint extract to taste and green food colour and beat to blend.
- When you have a thick, creamy frosting, pair your whoopies for size.
- Spread or pipe a thick layer of frosting onto the flat side of one of the paired whoopie cakes and sandwich together with the other side.
- To decorate (optional) : melt the chocolate either in a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water (stirring) or in the microwave at medium setting and using 30 second bursts, stirring between each until melted.
- Either dip the whoopies in the chocolate or drizzle the chocolate over them and sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles, etc. Leave to allow the chocolate to set.
Hahaha Kate, these were my very thoughts. A recipe from Miss GF is always welcome. I'm so impressed with her creations. At her age I was making flapjacks. Gosh but you are tolerant about the mess in the kitchen. I very much doubt I could be.
Phew! I was worried I wouldn't get her efforts through the linky door. Thank you!
I am always rather impressed myself when she has been baking. Mr GF went to the gym on Friday for an hour and there were freshly baked peanut butter cookies on the side by the time he got back….
The mess is getting less stressful…. I think because I am less likely to be there when it is being made (rather than there being less of it) and I find it easier to clean up than watch!! x
Your daughter is so talented in the baking department Kate – definitely a mini you! I have never tried a whoopie pie before but I really want to now! I love the vibrant green filling too , so striking against the chocolate sponges. Thank you for linking to #Bakeoftheweek x
Thank you. She is indeed Jenny! I have to agree, the green icing is rather alluring…. There is something about kids and food colour…. They haven't quite worked out ow to add a little at a time. x
Miss GF you are a star! These are stunning. You are really talented!
Thank you Alida xx
Another stunning bake from Miss GF – I think you need to watch your back Kate! 😉 Thanks for linking up to #TreatPetite
Tell me about it Kat! This week I came home to Caterpillar Cake! x
Those look stunning Kate and not all as people may perceive a GF bake to look! I love how you are so inventive with your GF baking recipes! Karen
Thank you Karen. I am absolutely determined that our bakes should be at least as good as any comparable glutenous version. No ifs or buts!
Well done Miss GF! It really is amazing she is not just able to bake these wonderful whoopie pies but has such an eye for detail when it comes to presentation. Don't tell me she took the photos too!!! Thank you bringing this creation to #CookBlogShare:)
Thanks Monika. No…. the photos are mine. Miss GF just makes the cake (and the mess)!
They look really gorgeous – chocolate and mint don't just taste good but they also are so pretty with the green contrasting with the brown. Miss GF is very talented and hopefully she will learn from you about tidying up in the kitchen
Thanks Johanna. I think somehow we have a long way to go before we learn the tidying bit! Alongside the kitchen, the 'floordrobe' is another tension.
On the other hand, all is forgiven with cake! x
These look absolutely amazing – and to think they're made by an 11 yr old. I know for sure that I'd be so happy to have a bake look (and clearly taste) so good. I have to admit that I've never tried whoopie pies before, but these definitely have made me add them to my 'must try' list.
Angela x
Thanks Angela. Miss GF did a fab job. If you have never had whoopies though, you should definitely try them. They have a particular 'cuteness' appeal which makes them that little bit special! x
Wowzers Miss GF you are excelling yourself. Just make sure you clear up next time. I feel your pain Kate!!! Ps thanks for the mention of my flour…it would be perfect in these 😀
Thanks Vicki. It's amazing how many bowls one cake can produce…. But when you get results like this, the mess can (sort of) be forgiven!
No worries on the flour front. Yours would work perfectly here for sure! x