Viennese Whirl Cookies
These are a stunningly delicious, melt in your mouth cookie with only four ingredients for the basic cookie. While the traditional English version is filled with buttercream and raspberry jam, I've upped the ante with a Strawberry Chocolate filling that will wow you.
Servings: 16
Calories: 319kcal
Ingredients
Viennese Whirl Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened* (225 grams)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (65 grams)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 ¾ cup cake flour (225 grams)
Strawberry Filling
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries (34 grams)
- ⅞ cup powdered sugar (100 grams)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (58 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 or 2 tablespoons milk
- Red food coloring, optional
Chocolate Ganache
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 170 grams semisweet chocolate (not chocolate chips)
Instructions
Cookies
- *The butter should be very soft. Softer and usual.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and powdered sugar until light and creamy. if using citrus zest, add it with the butter and sugar.
- Add the vanilla or alternate flavoring.
- Add all of the flour, beating on low to combine.
Shaping the Cookies
- Draw a template on parchment paper using a 1 ¾" round cookie cutter or any size you wish. Space them about 1" apart. Place a second piece of parchment on top. Fit a piping bag with a ⅜" open star tip. Set aside.
- If the batter is too stiff to pipe, place only as much as you can pipe at once in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 3 to 5 seconds. If still too stiff, repeat using the least amount of time. Do not get it too soft or it will not hold its shape when baked.
- Pipe the cookies to within about ⅛" of the inside of the circle.
- Remove the template to use on another baking sheet under parchment.
- Freeze the tray of cookies for 5 or 10 minutes until hard. Double pan and bake for about 13 to 15 minutes until a light medium brown. Cool completely.
Chocolate Ganache Filling
- Place the cream in a small saucepan or use the microwave to heat the cream until steaming hot but not boiling.
- Submerge the chocolate under the cream and let it sit for several minutes. Whisk to smooth out. Cool it until it can be piped and hold its shape. To quick cool the ganache, spread it out on a sheet tray. Cover it with film.
Strawberry Buttercream
- Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat on low to bring together, then raise the mixer to medium to medium high and beat to lighten and increase the volume.
Sandwiching the Cookies
- Pair the cookies for size. Lay them out with the bottoms turned up.
- Pipe the strawberry buttercream either in a circle, leaving the middle exposed or completely cover the cookie.
- Pipe the chocolate ganache in the middle of the circle or on top of the cookie completely covered with buttercream. Place the second cookie on top.
Notes
- A lemon version can be made by adding the zest of a large lemon plus ¾ teaspoon citric acid (optional) to the butter and sugar when creaming. The citric acid can be found online. It adds a tartness to the cookies to emulate the taste of whole lemons.
- And the zest of a small orange for an orange version.
- For a citric version, add a teaspoon of lemon zest, orange zest and lime zest for an unusual flavor.
- There's a killer mincemeat filling that makes a delicious filling.
- Use a small open star B tip about ⅜" for the best look when piping the strawberry buttercream or the chocolate ganache.
- For a list of piping tips see my post on Lange de Chat.
- If the pastry is too hard to pipe, microwave only the amount you will use immediately for 3 to 5 seconds to soften it. Repeat if necessary but be careful not to get it too soft or the cookie will not hold its shape.
- The butter for these cookies should be softer than usual to aid with the piping.
- Be sure to double pan to prevent the over browning of the bottoms and to make sure the tops are evenly browned.
- Pair the cookies for size prior to filling for the best looking cookies.
- Store these in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
- You will have ganache left over. Add a bit of extra cream, warm it and it makes an excellent sauce for desserts or hot fudge ice cream.
- These cookies can be made smaller, just adjust the baking time a bit.
Nutrition
Serving: 16cookies | Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 522IU | Vitamin C: 181mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 4mg