The whoopie pie, aka black moon, gob, black-and-white, bob, or the round Devil Dog, borders on a cookie, cake, and pie. My recipe for a Summer Time Whoopie Pie with grilled pineapple Piña Colada version is worth all the steps. How can you go wrong with chocolate pastry sandwiching a grilled rum-infused pineapple in coconut cream?
Summer Time Piña Colada Whoopie Pies
Make 15 small Dessert Burgers
chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle
For Grilled Pineapple
1 ripe Pineapple
2 Tablespoons Brown sugar
¼ cup Dark Rum, such as Myers
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 Tablespoon mint, chopped
Cut off the top and bottom, and peel the outside skin of the ripe pineapple. Cut horizontally into 1/2-inch slices; remove the center core. Pour marinade over top of pineapple for 3-4 hours prior to grilling.
Remove the pineapple from the marinade. Grill at medium-high temperature for 2 to 3 minutes, basting on each side with marinade. Remove and cool.
Chocolate Pies/Cookies
Makes 30 small cookies to make 15 whoopee pies
3½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
¾ cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder (such as Valrhona)
½ cup good strong warm coffee
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
¾ cup canola oil
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk, *or ½ cup milk with 1/4 teaspoon vinegar
2 Tablespoons Shredded coconut, lightly toasted
*Add white vinegar to milk to make the buttermilk. Allow to sit 5 minutes to sour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, and set aside.
In another large bowl, mix the cocoa powder and brown sugar. Add warm coffee and whisk until completely dissolved. Add oil, egg, vanilla, and buttermilk and whisk until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients gently. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as you fold.
Use a small ice cream scoop to drop a heaping tablespoon of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the cookies are just starting to crack on top and can be lifted off the; use caution not to overbake. Let the cookies cool completely before removing them from the pan.
Piña Colada Filling:
5 large egg whites
1½ cups sugar
2 cups (4 sticks) sweet butter, room temperature, cut into ½-inch cubes
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure coconut extract
Whisk the egg whites and sugar together in a medium bowl. Set the bowl over a double boiler with simmering water but do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Heat the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved and the color is milky-white, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer the egg mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment and start slowly at first; beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Remove the whisk attachment and replace it with the paddle attachment. Add salt and coconut flavoring, then the cubed butter. Starting slowly at first, beat on medium-high speed until the filling is light and creamy, about 5 minutes.
To assemble Summer Piña Colada Whoopie Pies:
Turn half the cooled cookies upside down (flat side facing up). With a pastry bag or spoon, drop a teaspoon of Piña Colada icing onto the flat side of the cookie. Top with grilled pineapple, a teaspoon of Piña Colada icing on top, and sprinkle a small amount of coconut on top.
Place the cookie with the flat side down on top of the filled bottom. Press down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edges of the pies. Repeat until all the pies are used. Put the assembled pies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up the icing before serving.
Allow the Piña Colada Whoopie Pies to adjust to room temperature before serving.
