Last night I came home from work craving my pajamas, a lazy take away and a evening in front of the TV with Kris and the cats. Those plans were scuppered by you, Sky Arts. For some reason or another, the Sky Arts film crew were filming a scene for an upcoming drama in the courtyard outside of my garden. There were huge lights, cameras, generators and lots of people milling around just beyond my little garden fence. Realising I wasn't going to get the quiet relaxing night I so craved I took myself to the kitchen for a little therapeutic baking and to keep an eye on what was going on outside, of course.
The result of my baking were these yummy little Viennese Whirls. Viennese Whirls were a constant favorite in my childhood home. The cream, the jam, the delicate crumbly biscuit I mean, what's not to love?! Sunday morning always saw us gathered round a plate of the adorable cookies, the Sunday papers scattered over the dining room table and a huge pot of tea surrounded by five mugs. There's something about a Viennese Whirl I find so comforting, I just felt I had to delve back into my past and recreate those lazy Sunday mornings I used to love so much. I mean, I wasn't getting my lazy Saturday night so made damn sure to get my relaxed Sunday morning.
Viennese Whirls
Ingredients:
250g unsalted butter, very soft
250g plain flour
50g icing sugar
50g cornflour
1tsp vanilla extract
2tbsp milk
Method:
Preheat your oven to 160C and line a baking tray with parchment. Take a circular cutter, around three inches in diameter and trace 16 circles onto the parchment around one centimeter apart. Flip the parchment over so the ink is on the bottom.
Place the butter, sugar ad flours into a food processor and pulse to combine. Once the dough starts to come together scrape the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle. Pipe whirls of dough onto the lined baking tray using your stencils as a guide.
Bake cookies for 15 minutes, or until just golden and allow to cool on the tray. Once cool sandwich the cookies together using butter cream and jam. Eat with a pot of tea and the Sunday papers. Slippers are essential.
