What crazy
things have graced our lives for these past few years! You would have to be
living in a box on a deserted island with no social interaction to miss the
Zombie craze that is going on! (Actually, that may not be a bad idea with a
zombie apocalypse in our future.) Zombies are everywhere – on television, on
the movie screen, in our books, in our game applications, and in the department
stores. If you are very observant, you can actually watch these “walking dead”
as they stroll with their Ipods and Ipads and cell phones along the streets of
ordinary America. You know what I’m talking about. We call it technology, but
we whisper the truth to each other in closed quarters. Those creatures are out
there, just ask Tallahassee.
Tallahassee
was a ferocious zombie killer in the movie “Zombieland” with a heart for two
things (spoiler alert if you haven’t seen the movie). One was his adorable son
and the other was for a delicious cream filled goodie called a “Twinkie.” He
searched everywhere and killed zombie upon zombie just to find his special
treasure. His quest was relentless. After all, what did he have to live for
anymore? His son was gone along with the soft nuzzling of his blonde hair
against his father’s chin. The precious sweet kisses of a little boy being
tucked into bed had been taken from Tallahassee’s life. Twinkies were his way
to keep all that goodness freshly tucked away in a package in the corner of his
heart.
Why then did
he have such a difficult time finding one box of that yellow spongy goodness?
Was it because when people ravaged the shelves, they grabbed all the Twinkies
to eat for an eternity? Many people think those cream filled cakes are stuffed
with so many chemicals and preservatives they will be around with the
cockroaches and landfills till the end of time. Maybe Zombieland was warning
us. When the executives of Hostess
ceased the making of Twinkies, the rest of the world prepared for the future of
brain eating monsters seeking their next meal. We all knew it was coming and we
all held our breath for just that moment.
It was in
that reality that many wise strong women and men searched the internet for
copycat recipes to make their own Twinkies. I was certainly one of them. I
would not let my child or anyone else I loved be forced to live in a world
without the cream filled goodie. My son would not share in the same grief that
Tallahassee endured. I was not to be intimidated or underestimated. The wealth
of knowledge to be found was immense. Which recipe do I use? Once I found the
right taste, how was I supposed to form it into that elongated shape? It’s not
a real Twinkie if it looks like a normal cupcake. Such a quandary!
I found the
answer on the shelves of the department store, “Bed, Bath, and Beyond.” I was
actually looking for a small black container made for serving salsa when I
happened to stroll past an end cap stocked with various baking utensils. Hidden
on the third shelf were stacks of pans with 12 Twinkie molds per sheet. I
grabbed one and noticed it was discounted almost half price. I looked around
and wondered why others had not discovered this find. I guess no one else
cared. Oh well, I thought, maybe they were all destined to be the flesh eaters.
I bought my pan, along with another pan that made Ring-a-dings – I wasn’t taking
any chances of what was to come. I could not wait to get home and make my first
batch of April’s Twinkies. There was even a recipe on the package! I was all
set.
Here I am
today sharing the results of my baking efforts. I was surprised that they were
very easy to make. All the ingredients were available in my cupboard already.
There was no adding of strange preservatives I couldn’t pronounce or any extra
sugar. The most sugar used is for the cream filling! Once I filled them – which
was easy too - my son performed the first taste test and deemed them delicious!
They were a hit! The only change I would make in the future would be to double
the recipe, because this one only makes 12.
I am
excited! Never again will I be daunted by the shortage or extinction of child
hood favorite delicacies. When a zombie apocalypse hits I will be prepared. My
kitchen will be stocked with everything I need for survival – food, water, and
homemade Twinkies. Tallahassee will be welcome at my house anytime.
April’s “Twinkies”
Recipe makes 12.
Ingredients
1/2 cup sifted cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Filling:
4 tablespoons softened butter or
margarine
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2-3 teaspoons milk
Instructions:
Preheat oven
to 375°F.
Prepare “Delectovals”*
Mini Cake Pan with vegetable pan spray. (Can use a muffin pan if that is all
you have.)Spray well.
In small
bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. In large bowl, whip egg
whites with electric mixer until foamy. Add cream of tartar and whip until
stiff but not dry. In another clean bowl, whip egg yolks 1 minute; add vanilla.
Gradually add sugar, whipping until mixture is pale yellow and doubled in
volume. With rubber spatula or spoon, fold 1/3 of egg whites into yolks to
loosen; fold in remaining whites until almost combined. Fold in the flour combination
until no streaks remain. Do not over mix. Fill the cavities about 3/4 full with
batter; smooth out the tops.
Bake 7-8
minutes or until top is lightly browned and center springs back when touched.
Cool in pan for about 5 minutes. Run a spatula around edges of cakes to loosen
if necessary. Remove from pan; cool completely.
In large
bowl, beat butter and sugar until well combined, scraping down bottom and sides
of bowl as necessary. Add vanilla and milk and beat until light and fluffy. Fill
the pastry by poking three small holes into the bottom and using a pastry bag
with the #230 decorating tip. The Twinkie is airy enough for the cream to
spread out. Now sit back, watch your favorite zombie action film or television show and enjoy!
 |
| Single "Twinkie" Notice how puffy it is. |
 |
| Just a few that were left after taste testing! |
*This is the name of the pan I bought. They can be ordered from www.Wilton.com
online.*
Zombieland
pictures were found on redbloodedamerica.tumblr.com and are not my
property.
