When I was growing up in western PA, women in our church used to make these really good treats called 'gobs'. Basically it consists of 2 cakey type chocolate cookies sandwiched together with a thick, white creme filling--the whole thing was soft and gooey. Anybody know how to make them? I'd like to make them for a church picnic.

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), August 22, 2001

Answers

Up here they're called "Whoopie Pies". Here goes:

The cake part: 3 1/2 cups presifted flour, 2 tsps. baking soda, 1 tsp. baking powder, 4 tsps. cream of tartar, 1 tsp. salt, 3/4 cup cocoa, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup shortening, 3 eggs, 2tsps. vanilla, 1 1/2 cups milk.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease baking sheets. Onto a sheet of waxed paper sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, salt and cocoa.

Cream sugar and shortening in mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Blend vanilla and milk; add alternately with flour mixture to egg mixture beating well after each addition.

Drop dough by teaspoons, 2 inches apart onto baking sheets.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool.

Sandwich the pairs with marshmallow filling or cream filling.

Marshmallow filling: 1/2 cup shortening, 1 cup marshmallow cream, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 lb. sifted confectioners' sugar, milk.

In mixing bowl cream shortening, marshmallow cream and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar and sufficient milk to give good spreading consisency.

Cream filling: 1/3 cup presifted flour, 1 cup milk, dash of salt, 1 cup butter, 2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla. Blend until smooth.

This will make 48 sandwich cookies.

Enjoy.

Wishing you enough.

-- Trevilians (Dianne in Mass) (Trevilians@mediaone.net), August 22, 2001.

Cathy N, my mom used to make those in our bakery to sell. Here's the recipe:

4 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, 2 tsp salt: Whisk dry ingredients together.

Then add: 1 cup shortening or lard, 2 egg yolks (save those whites for filing), 2 tsp vanilla, 1 cup thick sour milk or buttermilk, 1 cup cold water. Beat together, bake as cookies. Bake at 375 F, until just firm to touch in center. If the first pan of cookies spreads out too flat, add a little more flour to the batter. (It really does depend on the humidity, I think.)

While cookies are cooling on racks or towels, mix up the filling:

2 egg whites, beaten til stiff. Add 1 TBSP vanilla and 2 cups powdered sugar. Mix well, and then beat 1-1/2 cups shortening (lard will not do!) into the egg white mixture.

Or use sweetened whipped cream for filling.

These things sell like hotcakes!

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), August 23, 2001.

OOPS, Cathy! I missed listing 2 tsp of soda in that cookie batter dough! Please include, or they will be total flops! Has anyone come up with that foot-in-mouth vaccination I have requested before?

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), August 23, 2001.

CATHY! OOps number two! Now i see what I did. I typed the "2 tsp", and then skipped to the word "salt". It is supposed to be "2 tsp of baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt!"

ARRRGH!

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), August 23, 2001.

Thanks a bunch. These are really going to be good; I can taste them already. And the only cure for foot-in-mouth is never to say anything. Since that's not practical, just comfort yourself with the knowledge that practically everyone is inflicted with the same disease!

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), August 23, 2001.

Daffodyllady, Good thing I continued to read the post "after" I printed off your recipe. I think I'll make up a batch, make the filling orange, wrap them in plastic wrap and have them for Halloween. I do not buy halloween candy and usually do popcorn balls. This sounds like a delicious change.

-- Belle (gardenbelle@terraworld.net), August 23, 2001.

Dianne, printed yours too. I am counting on your measurements being correct. I can live with the mispelling of consistancy. LOL See, I can't spell it either. Would never have seen it, My spell check did when I printed it. LOL Too bad we arn't all perfect. Personally, I'd rather be a good cook.

-- Belle (gardenbelle@terraworld.net), August 23, 2001.

I'm not sure how they were made, but I had some excellent whoopie pies that had maple syrup in the filling. Does anyone know how this is done or should I just wing it and get back to you?

-- Sheryl in Me (radams@sacoriver.net), August 23, 2001.