Dark Chocolate Hibiscus Whoopie Pies
 
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Dressed up with a tangy pink hibiscus filling, these fudgy and delicious whoopie pies are the perfect Valentine's Day dessert.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Yield: 6 large or 12 small filled whoopie pies
Ingredients
  • Hibiscus Syrup:
  • 16 g (¼ cup) hibiscus petals or contents of 4 hibiscus tea bags*
  • 240ml (1 cup) water
  • 60 g (¼ cup) superfine/caster sugar**
  • Dark Chocolate Cakes:
  • 184 g (scant 1 ⅓ cups) GF all purpose flour***
  • 65 g (⅔ cup) cocoa powder
  • 120 g (½ cup + 2 Tbsp) granulated sugar
  • ¾ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ⅛ tsp espresso powder
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) milk
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) neutral vegetable oil like avocado or grapeseed
  • 2 oz (¼ cup) Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • 1 large egg
  • 5 ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
  • 15 ml (1 tablespoon) golden syrup or agave
  • 120 ml (½ cup) boiling water
  • Hibiscus Cream Cheese Filling:
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 90 ml (¾ cup) heavy cream
  • 8-16 g (1-2 tbsp) confectioners sugar (or more to taste)
  • 45-60 ml (3-4 tbsp) hibiscus syrup
Procedure
  1. Make the hibiscus syrup: Place dried hibiscus in a heatproof bowl and boil one cup water. Pour water over petals and let steep for about 10 minutes.
  2. Strain out the solids, pressing down on petals to release trapped liquid. Transfer liquid to a small saucepan along with superfine sugar and bring to a boil. (Keep an eye on the pot, as sugar syrups can boil over suddenly.) Reduce heat to maintain a hard simmer, and allow syrup to cook for 10-15 minutes, until reduced by about two-thirds. The consistency will thicken to that of maple syrup and you'll have 4 to 5 tablespoons of syrup.
  3. Cool syrup in an ice bath. (You can either put the saucepan in a bath or transfer the syrup to a bowl first.) Syrup will continue to thicken slightly as it cools.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°F and line one large or two half-size sheet trays with parchment.
  5. Make the cake batter: Sift dry ingredients into large mixing bowl or stand mixer and whisk to combine thoroughly.
  6. In medium bowl or liquid measuring cup combine milk, oil, yogurt or sour cream, egg, vanilla, and golden syrup or agave. Whisk until uniform.
  7. Pour wet mixture over dry and combine to moisten. Boil ½ cup water and pour into batter slowly. beat with hand mixer or stand mixer on medium-high until batter is smooth and glossy.
  8. Use a one- or two- ounce scoop to portion mounds of batter (spaced 1-2 inches apart) onto prepared sheet tray.
  9. Bake the cakes: Bake large cakes for 11-13 minutes and small cakes for 6-7 minutes, rotating trays once, until cakes are puffed and tops feel firm when pressed lightly. Cool completely before filling.
  10. Make the filling: In a large bowl whip heavy cream until it forms medium peaks - they’ll hold their shape briefly before drooping.
  11. In a small bowl, use a hand mixer or whisk to beat cream cheese until soft and fluffy. Add cream cheese to whipped cream, and continue beating on high speed until it forms stiff peaks.
  12. Sift in confectioners sugar and drizzle in 1 tablespoon hibiscus syrup; beat to combine. Add more hibiscus syrup 1 tablespoon at a time until desired color is reached.
  13. Fill the cakes: Match up cakes of similar size and shape into pairs. Using a heaping tablespoon for small cakes and about 2 tablespoons for large ones, mound filling onto flat side of one cake, and cover with flat side of other cake, pressing gently to adhere. Continue with remaining cakes.
  14. Serve: Arrange whoopie pies on a platter or serve on individual plates, and garnish with hibiscus syrup.
Notes
*If substituting tea bags, be sure to use pure herbal hibiscus tea and not black or green tea flavored with hibiscus.
**If you don't have superfine sugar, substitute 60 grams (scant 5 tablespoons) granulated sugar. If possible, grind it in a spice grinder first so it dissolves more easily.
***If your flour mix doesn’t contain xanthan gum, add a heaping ¼ teaspoon.
Recipe by Good Health Gourmet at https://goodhealthgourmet.com/dark-chocolate-hibiscus-whoopie-pies/