 |
| Today: Homemade Twinkies |
I used more Cling Wrap yesterday than I have any other day in my entire life.
I know this because I typically hate Cling Wrap. It has a tendency not to cling to anything but itself, and I never feel my baked goods are sealed airtight in it. Normally, I opt for the vastly superior Press and Seal, which is the baker's best friend (maybe second best, after parchment paper). But, I will say that Cling Wrap does have one good use: when it is wrapped around homemade Twinkies.
Twinkies must be wrapped in a clear plastic in order for people to marvel at the goodness contained within the packaging. Press and Seal, though superior in almost every way, fails in this project because it is not 100% clear, nor is it shiny or smooth (which is why it sticks better than Cling Wrap). Cling Wrap's failure to seal to other goods comes in handy in this project, because you want to be able to access your delicious Twinkies quickly and efficiently. So, reluctantly, I found myself bringing out the old, neglected Cling Wrap, reassuring my faithful and reliable Press and Seal that I would be using it on my next baked good, guaranteed. I hope it's not mad at me.
Cling Wrap aside, I must say, these Twinkies are surprisingly good. I've never been a big Twinkie fan, but I got a request for them from a friend and had a recipe lying around, so I decided to give it a shot. To make these, you'll either need a Canoe Pan (find on Amazon) for the classic shape or make them in a classic cupcake pan for a similar effect. Or you can make mini foil tins yourself after watching this video. I bought the pan, because I find injecting cakes with filling to be fun, so I imagine I'll have many more Twinkie-esque adventures.
Okay, this recipe gets a little complex, so hang in there. It's really a lot easier than it sounds, I promise. Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a canoe pan or muffin tins with cooking spray and set aside. Don't forget to do this or they will be much more difficult to remove (I know this from experience). See, easy!
Separate 7 eggs. Little tip - when separating eggs, use 3 bowls. Crack the egg in half, catching the yolk in one half and letting the white drip to the small, first bowl. Move the yolk from one half shell to the other until all the white drops into the small bowl. Put the yolk in the second bowl and the white in the third. This way, if you split the yolk, you don't waste all your egg whites. Instead, you can just put the entire egg in a small dish, cover (air-tight!) and save for the next time you need a whole egg. This is key because if you get even a little yolk in the whites, they won't whisk the way you need them to. Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until they are very stiff. They should hold their shape when removed from the bowl. Set aside.
 |
| When you lift the beater up, a peak should form and stay. |
 |
 |
| Fold in the egg whites |
Bake for 8-12 minutes (it took longer for me, but my oven is weird), or until cakes are golden brown and just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center of the cake should come out clean. Cakes will puff up when cooking, but will settle as they cool.
Cool the cakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then gently remove them from the pan using a rubber spatula. Allow them to cool, flat side down, directly on the cooling rack.
While cakes cool, start working on the filling. In a small saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons flour and 1/2 cup milk over medium heat, stirring constantly. When the mixture becomes a paste (about 5 minutes), remove from heat and allow to cool for 1 minute. Stir in the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and set aside to cool completely.
With an electric mixer, cream 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cooled milk mixture and beat for about 5 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
 |
| Yummy filling! |
Homemade Twinkies by Simple Math Bakery
Snack Cakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons corn starch
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup cold water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7 eggs, separated
Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a canoe pan or muffin tins with cooking spray and set aside.
Separate eggs. Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until they are very stiff. They should hold their shape when removed from the bowl. Set aside.
Combine the flour, corn starch, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together or beat on low speed for a minute, until combined. Add oil, water, vanilla, and egg yolks. Beat on medium speed until smooth.
Using a rubber spatula, gently scoop 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter. Fold the egg whites in by slicing the spatula through the center of the bowl, gently scooping batter from the bottom and wrapping it over the top. Turn the bowl 1/4 turn and repeat until the egg whites are barely visible. Repeat this process with each remaining 1/3 of the egg whites.
Spoon the batter into the pan, filling the wells 2/3 full. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until cakes are golden brown and just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center of the cake should come out clean. Cakes will puff up when cooking, but will settle as they cool. Cool the cakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then gently remove them from the pan using a rubber spatula. Allow them to cool, flat side down, directly on the cooling rack.
Filling:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk (I used soy milk)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
In a small saucepan, heat the flour and milk over medium heat, stirring constantly. When the mixture becomes a paste (about 5 minutes), remove from heat and allow to cool for 1 minute. Stir in the vanilla extract. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and set aside to cool completely.
With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cooled milk mixture and beat for about 5 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
Use the pastry filler that comes with the pan (or a pastry bag with round tip) to fill the cakes. Place the tip about halfway into the cake and squeeze gently. Holding the cake in your palm while filling it will allow you to feel when it is full. Fill each cake 3 times to ensure that each bite contains cream filling!
No comments:
Post a Comment