SparkBlog by The Hartman Group

The Weekly Six: Slide to Unlock

Here are a few of this week's interesting finds:

Running Away to Photograph the Circus: Matt Hoyle's Barnumville

Shoot the Recession: Photographs of the Economic Crisis

Zero Balance: How to Cut Credit Cards to Make an iPhone stand

Food, Glorious Food Myths: The Great Debate

Benjamin's Button: Family Tree Photographs by Bobby Neel Adams

Now in Snacks: The Kinder, Gentler Big Mac

Enjoy!

Making Whoppie

We think that those whoopie pies in the New York Times are pretty darn adorable and can't wait to test the below recipe for ourselves. While we're not sure if they're exactly "the new cupcake," we're suckers for the nostalgia these precious pies produce.

According to the Times, whoopie pies have been kicking around for a good while now:

One theory holds that whoopie pies were brought north during the Great Depression through the Yummy Book, a recipe pamphlet first published in 1930 by Durkee-Mower, the Massachusetts company that makes Fluff.

What a perfect desert for these trying economic times! Feel free to substitute the buttercream for Fluff & enjoy your pies in a flash.

Whoopie Pies

Adapted from Zingerman’s Bakehouse, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Time: 1 hour

For the cakes:

• 1/4 pound (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 cup buttermilk

For the buttercream filling:

• 3 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 pound butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt.

1. For the cakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until light and creamy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the baking soda, salt, flour and cocoa. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in three parts, alternating with buttermilk, and combining well after each addition.

2. Using an ice cream scoop or a spoon, scoop out 12 1/4-cup mounds of batter and place about 6 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely before filling.

3. For the buttercream filling: For best results, follow directions carefully, paying attention to required temperatures. Fill bottom half of a double boiler (or a medium saucepan) with an inch or two of water, and bring to a boil over high heat. In top half of double boiler (or a metal bowl), combine egg whites and sugar. Place over simmering water and whisk just until sugar is dissolved and temperature reaches 180 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.

4. Using a whisk attachment on a heavy-duty mixer, whisk egg whites and sugar on high until they double in volume and become thick and shiny. Continue to whisk until cool. Reduce speed to medium and begin to add butter about 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until all the butter is incorporated. Add vanilla and salt. If mixture looks curdled, continue to whisk until it is smooth. Increase speed to high and whisk for 1 more minute. Use immediately or place in an airtight container and chill for up to 3 days, whisking buttercream again before using.

5. For assembly: Using an ice cream scoop or spoon, place 1/4 cup buttercream on flat side of each of 6 cakes, spreading it to edges. Top filled half with another cake to sandwich the buttercream. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or wrap individually and freeze for up to 3 months.

Yield: 6 pies.

Single Serving Sites

In the past we've shared a few of our favorite single-focus sites, ranging from charting the progress of our new president to simply informing us if we need an umbrella today.

Today we stumbled upon another single serving site as visually compelling as it is informative. Created by Justin Ouelette (the creator of Muxtape), All The Curry does what it promises, offering a simple solution to a single common problem.

Justin says:

Brendan and I decided to order Thai food last night and faced an all-too familiar problem: remembering which curry is which. With colorful names that may or may not reflect their actual appearance and similar ingredients that aren’t usually listed, selecting a curry can be a harrowing decent into the darkest depths of indecision.

It was time to settle the issue once and for all. We ordered all five standard Thai curries so they could be examined and sampled as a complete set, and challenged ourselves to build a web site with our notes in exactly one hour (cementing the memory and providing future reference should that memory fade).

Certainly more compelling than The Price of a Stamp.

Anyone want to chip in for an order of panang?

The Weekly Six: Brand Logos, Comfort Food & The Science of Cute

Here are a few of this week's interesting finds:

Comfort Food for the Imminent Ides of March: Magical Mac & Cheese

Public Awareness Through Passive Aggression: The Paper Towel Tree Trunk

From Finnish Cable Works to Nokia: The Evolution of Corporate Brand Logos

Why We Like What We Like: The Science of Cute (Video)

Art De Toilette: The Ignorance Is Bliss Bathroom Scale

Better Swimming Through Nanotechnology: The Swimsuit That Never Gets Wet

Enjoy!

Hammy the Hamster Goes Organic

Does organic really taste better? One adorable hamster seems to think so.



(video via CooksDen)