Tiramisu Whoopie Pies

Whoopie Pies…Mmmm!!!  I think this obsession occurred right after the cupcake craze no?!  David (my hubby to be), Jenny and I experience our first whoopie pie experience in Susie’s Cakes located in Brentwood (in Newport Beach also).  To me, the sandwich was more of a cookie than a cake.  I suppose whoopie pies can go both ways.  It all depends on whether you like cookie texture more or the lovely cake texture.

Tonight, I’ve decided to make “Tiramisu Whoopie Pies.”  Yes, I LOVE coffee!!! ^.^  As for the filling, I was looking for mascarpone to use as a filling.  Sprouts grocery store made life so much easier by carrying a ‘tiramisu mascarpone.’  Just makes baking shopping more exciting for me!

Hope you enjoy the pictures!

 Only 3 Whoopie Pies @ a time:  David, Grace, & Sammy

Can you see my hand mixer on the background?  It's the "architects series."  ^.^

Tiramisu Whoopie Pies

Cookie/Cake

75g – Butter (melted)

1 – Large Egg

150g – Granulated Sugar

1 tsp – Vanilla Extract (optional)

4 ½ Tbsp – Sour Cream

2 Tbsp – Instant Coffee Powder

¾ tsp – Baking Soda

225g – Pastry Flour

50g – Cocoa Powder

Filling

250g – Mascarpone

1 Tbsp – Instant Coffee Powder

50g – Granulated Sugar

Bake @ 350°F

(Self Note:  Egg til’ light and fluffy, add sgr til’ thk & glsy aka ribbon effect, add vanilla extract.  Fold sour cream & instant coffee pwdr, fold in the rest of the sifted dry ingredients)

Cherry Cornmeal Cookies

 My oven only allows me to make a dozen cookies maximum w/ 1/4 sheet pan! Yum!

 Up close and personal prior from baking!

The cookies decorated w/ royal icing!

mm Mmm..SO GOOD!

My Bread

My Professor had mentioned to me about this bakery called, "TARTINE BAKERY" located in the San Francisco area.  For our graduation gift, we were to write down the type of baking book we wanted as a gift.  Instead of writing down the typical categories of bread, chocolate, cake, I specifically requested this book.  I even consider writing down the ISBN number, but my classmate thought that would have been a bit 'crazy.'  What's so crazy to know what one wants?  Then my professor handed me this book as a gift!  Yay!  I'm so excited! 

So the first chapter talks about the process of making your own live yeast and to make the 'Country Bread.'  I am not much of a fan of sour dough bread because I find the bread to be a bit acidic.

85°C Bakery

85°C Bakery
Diamond Jamboree Shopping Center

2700 Alton Pkwy

Ste 123

Irvine, CA 92606

(December 27, 2010)

Everyone says, "this place is so far and the line is too long!"  Well, I must say, my dear friend Kathy took me here twice during the evening to try their sea salt coffee.  It was delicious, especially when you're about to drink the last sip of the coffee and you taste the salt that enhances the flavor of the coffee.  During the evening, nothing is left on the bread/bakery section.  This time, my fiance wanted to go there during the day and experience the hype of the awesomeness about the long wait and what is so special about this place? 

Once we found parking and approach the front of the bakery door, we see the LINE!  It was long and as soon as David and I are near the doorway, the guy stops and says, "Sorry, we'll stop here for now so the lines slow down."  As we were waiting, we were debating on whether to get a small tray together or to take a large tray together.  David and I end up taking a large tray each.  I think we went a little crazy, but we have to experience it all! 

Finally, the guy let us in.  We walked through the bread section and everything looks so fresh and smells wonderful!  There was a man that kept bringing fresh baked goods out and restocking the shelves.  As I turn around, I see a glass window where we can see the oven at work.  That portion was in construction the last time we visited.  I must say, there was at least 25 people working in the back of the kitchen.  Our total came out to $40.50 with two orders of the famous "Sea Salt Coffee."  I must say, do try their hot coffee, somehow, the cold one didn't taste as good this time around. 

On the other side of the shop near the hallway to the restroom, there is another glass window.  You can see that it's their chocolate room and the room where they assemble cakes.  I was watching the Chef working on chocolate molds that has been set and he was cutting it in triangular shapes as decorative motifs for the borders of the cakes, lovely!

Below are pictures of breads we purchased, no worries, we didn't eat them all, just some.  Hope you visit their bakery too!

Blueberry Bun w/ Cream Cheese filling 

Coffee Bread w/ Red Bean filling

Taro Roll w/ filling 

Chocolate Cake Toast

 Blueberry Spongecake 

Cherry Puff Pastry

Bottega Louie

Bottega Louie
(12/15/2010)

I have intended to go to this bakery for lunch and try their French Macarons. I noticed that Bottega Louie was only 1.8 miles from school so I decided to drive there after school just to grab a few French Macarons and experience their flavors. My friend told me their Passion fruit flavor is delicious, though it was sold out when I went there. The only flavors they had were:

• Mandarin Orange
• Lime
• Coffee
• Cinnamon
• Vanilla Bean

I walked through the entry door on 7th Street. Their window displays were of French Macaron trees; looks amazing! As I walked in, to my left was a refrigerator of various cheeses and sandwiches on the go. To my left were displays of tarts and tartelettes and wrapped around to the other side were the lovely cupcakes and French Macarons. I was so excited to see the bold colors of those Macarons and couldn’t resist taking a bite of them. Behind me were tables filled with customers eating lunch and conversations echoing through the restaurant from their high ceilings. It was a lovely place and I look forward to coming back for lunch, until next time! ^.^

 

Green Tea Creme Brulee