Originally, I hail from Maine. Up north, in the snowier regions, there aren't many things that can warm your frost bitten heart during a long Maine winter better than a Whoopie Pie. It is almost as if someone designed them specifically to bring light, joy, and a touch of sweetness into those dark corners of winter time. If you ask my mother, they were designed to use up extra cake batter by thrifty Bangor bakers. The jury is still out on exactly who lays claim to inventing these classic New England confections. However, there is one thing I am sure of. Noone makes them like my mother does. I would have to say that our original family recipe can't be beat.
Or can it? I have taken a bit of liberty here and altered the classic Whoopie Pie into something more bath tub friendly. These sweet little cakes might smell delicious and even look delicious but they are not meant for nibbling. These particular pies are 100% fizzy-licious.
Bath Tub Whoopie Pies
This is a three part recipe. So much so, that the third part will have to be completed at least 24 hours after the first. To start this recipe, we'll begin with the "chocolate cookies" that make up the top and bottom of the Whoopie Pies.
Phase One: Making Cookies
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
3/4 cup Epsom Salt
1 cup Baking Soda
1/2 cup Citric Acid
1/2 cup Whole Milk Powder
1/2 cup Oat Flour, Fine
1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
1 teaspoon Umber Oxide
Wet Ingredients
1 ounce Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
2 ounces Cocoa Butter, Regular
1/4 ounce Dark Chocolate Supreme
Fragrance Oil
Directions
Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir the ingredients very well. There should be no clumps in the mixture. To achieve a completely even color, as shown in the picture, you may need to put the powders in a food processor, blender or other closed topped mixer.
Melt your Cocoa Butter in a double boiler, or in the microwave. If you use a microwave to melt your Cocoa Butter keep a close eye on it. Microwave in short 5 second bursts and mix well in between each burst of heat. In small mixing bowl combine the melted Cocoa Butter with your other wet ingredients. Stir well.
Slowly pour your liquid ingredients into the container with your dry powders. Stir this mixture well, making sure to distribute the moisture quickly and evenly.Add just enough liquid to make the mixture packable. This is a similar technique to making Bath Bombs.
Cover a baking sheet or sturdy tray with a sheet of waxed paper. With clean hands, knead the Whoopie Pie mixture. Make small balls of "dough" with your hands* They should be roughly the size of a clementine or a small lime. Separate each ball of dough into two equal portions, making each portion into it's own smaller ball of dough. Gently press the balls of dough onto the cookie sheet. Use your fingers to press them into small circles or domes. Keep each set of two cookies together so that you can match them up during phase two of the recipe.
Allow your cookies to dry for about 24 to 48 hours. The longer they sit, the better. They will become harder and more durable as time passes. Make sure your cookies sit in a cool, dry place. Humidity can be disastrous to this recipe.
*Note: If your "dough" is not sticking together try adding a little more melted Cocoa Butter to your mixture. If it is too slimy to work with, try adding more Oat Flour.
Phase Two: The Icing on the Cake
Ingredients
1 cup Shealoe Butter
1 teaspoon White Kaolin Clay
1 teaspoon Cornstarch
2 teapsoons Beeswax, White
1 teaspoon Buttercream Fragrance Oil
Melt the Beeswax in a double boiler. Once it has completely melted, remove from heat and add the Shealoe Butter. Shealoe must be melted gently or it can be damaged. Make sure to mix it continually as it melts. When the Shealoe has liquefied, add the Cornstarch and the Kaolin Clay to the double boiler, continually whipping as the mixture cools.
As soon as the mixture in the double boiler is completely mixed and uniformly melted, pour the contents into a large mixing bowl. Beat the mixture until it becomes cool using an electric mixer or a whisk. When the mixture cools to room temperature add the Buttercream Fragrance Oil and mix once more. The mixture will not set up and harden as soon as it becomes cool, this can take up to twenty four hours. While the mixture is cool, but still very soft, transfer it into a pastry bag. Make sure the tip and the open end of the bag are properly sealed and leave your mixture in a cool dry place until it is ready for the next phase of the recipe. Leaving the mixture in the refrigerator is unnecessary as it may cause the "frosting" to become too hard to use.
Phase Three: All Together Now
Over the next twenty four to forty eight hours you should check your cookies periodically to see how quickly they are hardening up. When they are firm enough to pick up, turn over and handle without crumbling they are ready for the final phase of the recipe.*
Also keep an eye on your "frosting". If you made it the same day that you made your "cookies" it should be quite firm by the time your cookies have hardened. Apply a frosting tip to your filled pastry bag to get started. You'll be frosting every other cookie, leaving half of the cookies to top the Whoopie Pies. Start frosting from the center of your cookie, drawing a swirl to the outside edge. It won't take very much frosting for each Whoopie Pie. When your cookies are frosted, take their corresponding un-frosted cookie and place it on top. This completes the Whoopie Pies! You may want to give them an extra day or two after you frost them before giving them out or attempting to ship them anywhere. That should give them plenty of time to harden up.
*Note: Due to the humidity or dryness of the air this hardening time may vary. If the weather is too hot or humid this recipe may fail.
Usage
Using these sweet little treats is as easy as pie. Just drop one Bath Tub Whoope Pie into the bath tub for a deliciously fizzy treat. To make your treats last longer, try using 1/2 a Pie at a time.
Packaging
Packaging Bath Tub Whoopie Pies can be almost as fun as making them. Cello bags tied with colorful ribbons or bakery and candy boxes would make lovely presentations. Just be careful to mark them well or someone is bound to take a bite! It is also important to keep the Whoopie Pies dry. Make sure to use packaging that is as air tight as possible.
**Note: To create an all natural version of this recipe simply leave out the fragrance oils and colorants. The natural color of the Cocoa Powder and the aroma of the Cocoa Butter will provide a hint of chocolate scent and brown pigment. Also, if you would like to make a vegan variation, the Beeswax can be substituted for 1 teaspoon of Candelilla Wax. The Whole Milk Powder can also be replaced with Coconut Milk Powder or additional Cornstarch. Please be aware that making any changes such as these to the original recipe will alter the results.
