Homemade Twinkies - no fluff

By ctozzi

Ingredients

• Homemade Twinkies:
• Non-stick cooking spray or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup cake flour
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons milk, preferably whole
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
• Frosting:
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 3 large egg whites
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Details

Servings 12
Adapted from leitesculinaria.com

Preparation

Step 1

Homemade Twinkies:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and adjust the oven rack to the
lower-middle position.

2. & 3. were how to make twinkie molds.- removed it

4. Whisk the flours, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.

5. Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until the butter melts. Remove from the heat add the vanilla. Cover to keep warm.

6. Separate the eggs, placing the whites in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or, if using a hand mixer or whisk, a large mixing bowl) and reserving the yolks in another bowl. Beat the whites on high speed until foamy. Gradually add 6 tablespoons of the sugar and the cream of tartar and continue to beat until the whites reach soft, moist peaks.

7. Transfer the beaten egg whites to a large bowl and add the egg yolks to the standing mixer bowl—there’s no need to clean the bowl (or, if using a hand mixer or whisk, simply place the egg yolks in a separate large bowl). Beat the egg yolks with the remaining 6 tablespoons sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is very thick and a pale lemon colour, about 5 minutes. Add the beaten egg whites to the yolks, but do not mix.

8. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg whites and then mix everything on low speed for just 10 seconds (or, if using a hand mixer or whisk, until blended but not thoroughly combined). Remove the bowl from the mixer, make a well in one side of the batter, and pour the melted butter mixture into the bowl. Fold gently with a large rubber spatula until the batter shows no trace of flour and the whites and yolks are evenly mixed, about 8 strokes.

9. Immediately scrape the batter into the prepared moulds, filling each with about 3/4 inch of batter. Bake until the cake tops are light brown and feel firm and spring back when touched, 13 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pan containing the moulds to a wire rack and allow the cakes to cool in the moulds.

10. Just before filling, remove each cake from the foil. Using the end of a chopstick, poke three holes in the bottom of each cake, just like in the bottom of real Twinkies. Wiggle the tip of the chopstick around quite a lot to make room for the filling.

11. Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fit with a small tip (about 1/4 inch across). Pipe the frosting into the holes you created in the bottom of the cakes. As you fill each cake, hold it in your hand and press your palm gently around it so you can feel the cake expand, taking care not to overfill and crack the cake.

12. Unlike real Twinkies, these won’t last indefinitely. They’re best served still slightly warm.

Seven-Minute Frosting:

1. In the metal bowl of a standing mixer set over (but not touching) a saucepan of simmering water, combine the sugar, corn syrup, 3 tablespoons water, egg whites, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar has completely dissolved, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the mixture on high speed until glossy, thick, and billowing peaks form, about, well, you know, 7 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Use immediately.