Chocolate Caramel Crunch Whoopie Pies

1. First things first - East coast friends who are hunkering down for Hurricane Sandy... stay safe. I am thinking of you and hoping for the best! And in case the storm zaps your power but not your appetite, here are some recipes that don't require electricity. {Some are a bit questionable, but you do what you gotta do.}

2. My Gators. Don't even mention it. Ugh.

3. If you haven't had a chance to check out the latest Willow Bird Baking Challenge results, do yourself a favor and hop over to Julie's page. There are some amazing filled cupcakes going on over there. {And my Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Caramel-Pear Butter Filling and Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Frosting are among them. Holy Fall flavor explosion, Batman.}

4. For the next challenge, I need to make a cheesecake that represents ME. Um. Cool. Except I don't have the slightest idea where to begin. Thoughts? Ideas? Can you tell me what represents me?! Help!

5. Fall has finally arrived {for now} in South Florida. It was in the 50's this morning. I just about rolled around in a pile of printed scarves like a cat on a catnip-high. So excited.

6. I'm highly considering dressing like this permanently.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two large baking sheets by lining with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

2. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.

3. Combine buttermilk, vanilla, and coffee in a separate small bowl.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy.

5. Add egg and beat until fully combined.

6. Pour in about ⅓ of the dry mixture, mixing until just incorporated, then pour in half of the buttermilk mixture. Continue this process, alternating between wet and dry until it is all added.

7. Using a small scoop (about 1 ½ tablespoons for smaller pies like the ones I made} or a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip, scoop or pipe batter onto baking sheets about 2 inches apart.

8. Bake for 11-12 minutes until set. {Tops should spring back when lightly touched.}

9. Remove from oven and let cool on a baking rack.

1. Beat all ingredients together in the bowl of a stand mixture until smooth and creamy.

2. Place in a piping bag with a plain round tip. Set aside until ready to fill pies.

1. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

2. Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl for about 1 minute on high {at 30 second intervals}, until smooth and melted.

3. Pour in rice cereal and stir until fully coated.

4. Spread onto prepared pan and smooth into a thin layer.

5. Place in freezer for about 15 minutes until fully set. Remove and break into small pieces, or chop with a sharp knife.

Set aside until ready to assemble pies.

Fill a small zip top plastic bag with cooled caramel, and snip a small hole in the corner to use as a piping bag.

Assembly:

1. Pipe filling in a circle around the edge of half of the whoopie pies. {Leave a small well in the middle for caramel, it'll help keep it from running out.}

2. Fill wells with caramel sauce, allowing some to overflow from centers onto top of filling if desired.

3. Pipe a thinner layer of icing onto remaining whoopie pie halves. Sprinkle chocolate crunchies onto filling or dip into a bowl of chocolate crunchies to adhere.

4. Top caramel filled halves with crunchy topped halves to form little sandwiches.

Enjoy!