Whoopie!

Followed by "yummy!"



Cardamom and vanilla is an exotic and luxurious flavor match, long used by a handful of sophisticated pastry chefs. It can also be used in sauces for fish and chicken; but we’re offering you neither sophistication nor savory in two fun recipes: Vanilla Cardamom Whoopie Pies and its sister recipe, Vanilla Cardamom Milk Shake Shooters. Enjoy them singly or together; either will have you exclaiming, “Whoopie!”

Ingredients

* 2 cups flour
* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
* 1 cup buttermilk
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
* 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
* Vanilla Beans
* 1 egg

Vanilla Cardamom Filling

* 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
* 1-1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
* 1-1/2 cups marshmallow cream
* 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (shown
in photo at right with vanilla beans)
* 1/3 cup finely chopped salted shelled
pistachios

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and cardamom in medium bowl; set aside. Mix buttermilk and vanilla in small bowl.
2. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add egg; mix well. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until smooth and scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Spoon 1 tablespoon of batter, 2 inches apart, onto parchment paper-lined large baking sheets. (Cookies will spread so avoid crowding them on baking sheet.)
3. Bake 8 minutes or until cookies are puffed and spring back when touched, turning baking sheets halfway through baking. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
4. For filling, beat butter, confectioners’ sugar, marshmallow cream, vanilla and cardamom in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
5. To assemble Whoopie Pies, place 1 tablespoon filling on flat side of 1 cookie. Top with second cookie, pressing gently to spread the filling. Roll or sprinkle sides of whoopie pie with chopped pistachios. Repeat with remaining cookies, filling and pistachios. Store prepared whoopie pies between layers of wax paper in airtight container in refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

Makes 24 whoopie pies.