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   AMERICAN FOOD CHALLENGE   

American cuisine is influenced by different cultures from many countries across the world. America's cuisine is seperated in North America and South America. The Northern Cuisine was influenced by the Native Americans whose three main crops were beans, squash and maize. The Southern cuisine wwas influenced by Mexico and their herbs and spices. Southern Fried Chicken is a very popular dish in South America and it was brought to the south by the african slaves who kept their poultry.

   Mood Board   

-Barbeque Ribs

-Beef Burgers

-Pecan Pie

-Whoopie Pies

-Key Lime Pie

-Hot Dogs

   Recipes   

Choc and Vanilla Whoopie Pies

 

Ingredients:

  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

  • 1 teaspoon salt 

  • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder 

  • 1 tablespoon baking soda 

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder 

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 

  • 2 cups sugar 

  • 2 large eggs 

  • 2 cups buttermilk, room temperature 

  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

 

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift together flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside. Line two baking pans with Silpats (French nonstick baking mats) or parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat until well combined. Slowly add dry ingredients. Mix until combined. 

  2. Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop, place cookies onto lined baking pans, 12 per pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool. Repeat with remaining batter. 

  3. Spread 2 tablespoons frosting onto each of 24 cookies. Sandwich together with remaining 24 cookies.

Choc and Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

  • 1/4 cup vegetable shortening

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 cup whole milk

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • Peanut Butter Buttercream-2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl; set aside. 

  2. Add butter, shortening, and sugars to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; cream on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla; beat until combined. Add the remaining flour mixture. Beat together, scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. 

  3. Drop 12 slightly rounded tablespoons of batter 2 inches apart on each baking sheet. Bake the cookies in the upper and lower thirds of oven, 10 minutes; switch the positions of the baking sheets, and rotate each one. Continue baking until the cookies spring back to the touch, 2 to 4 minutes more. 

  4. Remove from oven; let cookies cool on baking sheets, 10 minutes.Transfer with a metal spatula to a wire rack; let cool completely. Meanwhile, line a cooled baking sheet with a new piece of parchment; repeat process with remaining batter. 

  5. Spread 1 scant tablespoon buttercream on flat sides of half the cookies.Top each with one of the remaining cookies, flat side down, and gently press together.

Key Lime Whoopie Pies

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

  • 1 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)

  • 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided

  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

  • 1/2 cup full-fat plain yogurt

  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil

  • 3 large eggs

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar

  • 1 tablespoon grated lime zest plus 3 tablespoons juice (from 6 key limes or 2 limes)

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in middle and bottom thirds. Whisk together flours, brown sugar, baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt. In a large bowl, with a mixer, beat yogurt, oil, and eggs on medium, 3 minutes. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in 3 additions; beat in vanilla until combined. Refrigerate batter 30 minutes. Meanwhile, using clean mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in confectioners' sugar and lime zest and juice until smooth. Refrigerate filling, covered, until ready to use (or up to 3 days). 

  2. Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and granulated sugar. Drop dough in 40 rounded tablespoons, 1 1/2 inches apart, on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until puffed and set, about 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Remove cakes from oven and immediately sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks. Peel cakes from parchment. Spread 1 tablespoon filling on flat sides of half the cakes and sandwich with remaining cakes. Serve immediately (or refrigerate in a single layer in an airtight container, up to 2 days).

Banana Whoopie Pies

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup mashed banana (from 1 large ripe banana)

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 16 ounces cream cheese, softened

  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and saltinto a bowl. Combine banana and sour cream in another bowl. 

  2. Beat butter and granulated and brown sugars with a mixeron medium-high speed, until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, beating until incorporated. Add banana mixture in 2 additions, alternating with flour mixture. 

  3. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip. Pipe batter into 1 1/4-inch rounds on baking sheets, spacing rounds 1 1/2 inches apart. 

  4. Bake until edges are golden, about 12 minutes. Slide parchment, with cookies, onto wire racks. Let cool. (Unfilled cookies can be stored for up to 1 day.) 

  5. Beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. 

  6. Pipe or spoon 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture onto the flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve immediately.

  Final Recipe  

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

 

Ingredients:

  • 125g butter,softened

  • 3/4 cup caster sugar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  •  

  • 3 teaspoon red food colouring

  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

  • 1 3/4 cups self-raising flour

  • 1/2 cup buttermilk  

  • 200g cream cheese, softened

  • 75g butter, softened

  • 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line 4 large baking trays with baking paper. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Add food colouring. Beat until combined. Meanwhile, sift flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into a large bowl.

  2. Add half the flour mixture to butter mixture. Stir to combine. Add vinegar and half the buttermilk. Stir to combine. Repeat with remaining flour mixture and buttermilk until just combined.

  3. Drop level tablespoons of mixture onto prepared trays, 5cm apart, allowing room for spreading. Bake, 1 tray at a time, for 8 to 10 minutes or until puffed and cooked through. Stand on trays for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool. Repeat with remaining trays.

  4. Make cream cheese filling Using an electric mixer, beat butter, icing sugar and vanilla together until pale and fluffy. Add cream cheese. Beat until smooth and combined. Sandwich level tablespoons filling between cakes to make 22 whoopie pies. Serve.

Instead of using baking powder and plain flour, I substituted it for self-raising flour.

I only used one large baking tray as I didn't have enough time to line and spoon the mixture onto all 4 baking trays.

To make them cool quicker I transferred them into the fridge to cool down quicker so I could fill them as soon as possible.

I decided to make just 4 whoopie pies to save time.

I used a piping bag from home to sandwich between the top and base of the whoopie pies.

  Time Plan & Food Order  

  Evaluation  

I think that something I did well was keeping my bay clean at all times. Also making quick decisions about how many whoopie pies to make and putting them in the fridge to cool them down quicker. I think I used my time management well when making my dish. I think I probably could have cleaned all the equipment I used as I was going instead of waiting till the end. I also could have improved the way I presented my dish and could have maybe cooked my whoopie pies for a bit less time.

 

The flavours in the whoopie pies consisted of red velvet cake which has a slight chocolaty taste and a tangy cream cheese filling. The top and base of the whoopie pies the a crimson red which contrasted with the off white filling. The top and base of the whoopie pies had a slightly harder outside and a moist inside. The filling was a very soft and creamy mixture which went great with the top and base.

 

My dish originated in the USA but it is unknown which state it came from as many claim that it originated in their state. I knew I wanted to make a desert as the USA is known for their delicious sweets and when I saw this unique dessert I thought it would be a delicious dish to make.

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