Saturday Spotlight #5: Superbowl Menu: A Seattle-New England Dessert

No matter who wins the Super Bowl, if you are hosting a party, you probably hope your guests will all leave happy.  It is inevitable that someone will be disappointed with the outcome of the game, but I have a dessert suggestion that will leave a great taste in everyone's mouth!

The Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots are the football teams playing in the 2015 Super Bowl. I have created a dessert that could represent both teams. One that practically everyone will love - no matter who they are rooting for!

A Whoopie Pie is a cookie with a fluffy filling sandwiched between two cake-like cookie halves, and has strong ties to New England. The people of Seattle (home of the Starbucks headquarters) have a huge affinity for coffee. A Whoopie Pie with a twist - coffee filling instead of cream or marshmallow flavor - seems like the perfect dessert for fans of both the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks!

My Saturday Spotlight today is shining on a roundup of menu options for the Super Bowl. If you are still planning food for game day tomorrow, perhaps these links will be helpful. Actually, Superbowl party or not - many of the recipes collected in these links look irresistible.

From Heather Sage on Brit + Co - - everything mentioned here looks amazing!

• 20 Foods for a Seattle vs New England Super Bowl Throwdown

From Suzanna Heldring on Honest Cooking - - don't miss the Seattle-style hot dog recipe! (Click here to view.)

• Superbowl Spread: Seattle Seahawks vs New England Patriots 

From Jake Laxen at the SC Times - - not sure I could choose one over the other!

• Recipe Boston Cream Pie vs. Seattle Tiramisu 

From Real Simple - - the mention of a coffee dessert and the Whoopie Pie recipe here sparked the idea for my dessert.

• The Ultimate Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl Menu
• A Festive Super Bowl Menu Fit for Patriots Fans

Back to my Whoopie Pies With Coffee Filling.  Once I came up with my idea for the unique coffee filling, I decided to mix up a batch. I used the recipe Whoopie Pies With Whipped Cream Cheese Topping (provided by Real Simple) but I made some of my own modifications. 

I love the cookie texture and rich, deep dark chocolate flavor (not overly sweet) the recipe produced.   

I made my cookies smaller than suggested. I used my small cookie scoop (1TBSP size); the recipe yielded about 48 cookie halves (or 24 complete cookies when assembled). 

 Because they were small, I only baked them for 10 minutes.  As suggested, they were done when they bounced back when lightly touched. 

For the filling, I wanted a strong coffee flavor and a coffee color.  I used the Whipped Cream Cheese recipe from Real Simple but added coffee flavor. I dissolved 2 tablespoons of espresso powder in 1 ounce of hot water, and then add enough whipping cream to make 1/2 cup.   

I'm not sure if it was this adjustment, or something else I did wrong, but even after an hour in the fridge, the glaze remained quite thin.  Adding more confectioner's sugar did not help.  When I spread it on the cookies and sandwiched it between the layers it did begin to set up, but not quickly enough. Unfortunately, it ran down the sides of many of my cookies before becoming hardened.   

Oops - these didn't turn out quite like I had hoped.

If I use this recipe again (and add the coffee) I will use a lot less whipping cream. Alternatively, I might make my favorite cream cheese frosting and add a small amount of strong coffee, kahlua, or espresso powder to that.

A Blogging Glimpse Behind the Scenes:

I had planned to take photos of these cookies in natural light. Unfortunately, the sun slipped behind the mountains just as I was heading outdoors to photograph them. I was rushing, but I tried to come up with props for the photos representing both New England and Seattle. A snowy setting for New England, and coffee for Seattle seemed appropriate. 
Except - the coffee bag just looks awkward in this photo!

I thought the coffee bag would be a good prop - but it just looks awkward!

Then, I decided to scatter coffee beans artistically across the snow around the plate.  Not good.  A Seattleite might recognize them for what they are; but everyone else would probably assume I set the plate down amidst some sort of animal scat!

A failed artistic attempt - my coffee beans look like animal scat!

Would I make these Whoopie Pies With Coffee Filling again? Absolutely! How they taste more than makes up for the how sloppy looking some of them turned out.  They are delicious - and a win for both Seahawks and Patriot fans.

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog. Check them out!