Compared to my other Whoopie Pie cookbook, this one is user friendly -- at least for the first section of the book. A recipe for the cake is on one page and the suggested filling recipe follows on the next. Of course the user is free to mix-up cakes and fillings but it is nice to have the basics follow in sequential order rather than chapters filled with nothing but cakes and some filled with nothing but fillings so the user must jump from one section to the next.
The book is a paperback so it doesn't lay open flat on the countertop. The use of a cookbook holder might be helpful. The ink color for the recipes and instructions is mercifully, black, so even with the small font size it is relatively easy to read. The paper quality is good and promptly wiped-up spills did not sink in and cause permanent damage. There is a solid index in the back so locating a particular recipe is easy. The measurements are given in grams and ounces. The majority of necessary ingredients are readily available in grocery stores, but golden syrup will require a search.
I made the Carrot Cake Whoopie pie along with the recommended Orange Mascarpone Cream filling. The combination was excellent and I won't hesitate to prepare it again, although I plan to try other varieties.
Recipes included in the Simple and Sweet section of the book are Chocolate with Fluffy Marshmallow filling, Mocha-Orange with Espresso cream filling, Pumpkin with Cream Cheese filling, Strawberry with Strawberry buttercream, Chocolate Chip with Chocolate Marshmallow cream, Carrot Cake with Orange Mascarpone cream, Lemon Cream with Lemon Curd cream, Red Velvet with Old Fashioned buttercream and Salty Caramel with Caramel Swiss buttercream.
Moving into the next few sections of the book the organization starts to drift a bit between icings, glazes, whoopie pie cakes, fillings and buttercreams. Recipes include, Teacake Whoopie, Chocolate icing, Kirsch Swiss buttercream, Rose-Pistachio Whoopie, Rosewater icing, Plain icing, Vanilla Swiss buttercream, Walnut Whip Whoopie, Meringue Whoopie, Chestnut cream, Coconut Cream Whoopie, Coconut Swiss buttercream, Coconut glaze, Raspberry and Nectarine Whoopie, Vanilla Bean cream, Raspberry Sauce, Blackberry Whoopie, Blackberry cream, Blackberry-Geranium sauce, Rhubarb & Custard Whoopie, Roasted Rhubarb, Banana Cream Whoopie, Chocolate Sauce and Shavings, Salty Caramel Sauce and Vanilla Custard Cream.
Recipes for Frozen and Chilled Whoopies where ice cream is used or an accompanying noted filling include, Oatmeal Cookie Whoopie (use vanilla ice cream,) Key Lime Whoopie, frozen Key Lime cream, Chocolate Mint Whoopie and frozen Mint Chip cream. Holiday treats include Christmas Cake Whoopie, Brown Sugar Spice buttercream, Spooky Halloween Whoopie, Easter Egg Whoopie and Multicolored Buttercreams.
Completely puzzling, at this point the book abandons its subject -- Whoopie Pies --and includes recipes for S'mores (yes, basic graham cracker, chocolate bar and toasted marshmallow s'mores,) Peanut Butter sandwich cookies with peanut butter filling, Easy Chocolate Macaroons, Chocolate-Caramel Ganache, Prize Peach Cobbler, Butterscotch Blondies and finally a Brownie Sundae.
The book's organization is a bit confusing and decisions like the inclusions in the last chapter simply strange, but the recipe I prepared was delicious and I look forward to trying more.
