HOMEMADE HOSTESS TWINKIES

Steps:

• 1. TWINKIES: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray Twinkie pan(s) with baking spray. Separate egg whites & yolks into separate large bowls.
• 2. Pour sugar, baking powder & salt into a food processor & process for 15 - 20 seconds, until finely ground. Transfer to a medium bowl. Using a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat egg yolks on medium speed for about 20 - 30 seconds, until they start to froth, thicken, & lighten in color. Slowly add ground sugar mixture, dry pudding mix & vanilla & continue to beat until eggs are very thick & pale - almost off-white & creamy in color. Reduce mixer speed to low & stir in flour (see note). Set aside. * NOTE: (¾ C all-purpose flour + ¼ cornstarch - sifted 6 times)
• 3. Using a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment on medium-high, whip egg whites into soft peaks. Stir about a quarter of whipped egg whites into batter to loosen it up, then gently fold in remaining whites in 2 - 3 batches, working slowly to incorporate them without destroying their fluffiness.
• 4. Pour batter into prepared pan; if using a canoe pan, fill each well 2/3 full (about 1 lg cookie scooper + 1 medium cookie scooper). Save any remaining batter for a second batch. Bake until cakes are puffy & golden brown & a tester inserted into center comes out clean. Timing may vary, so watch carefully, but will be 10 - 15 minutes for canoe shapes, 13 - 15 minutes for cupcakes or mini loaf pans & 18 - 20 minutes for 8" square metal baking pans or hot dog pans.
• 5. Cool cakes in pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack; they will shrink & pull away from pan sides. Line wire rack with waxed paper & spritz paper lightly with baking spray. Invert pan to turn cakes out onto rack. Cool completely before filling.
• 6. FILLING: Stir sugar, corn syrup & water together in a small, high-sided saucepan over medium low heat just until sugar is fully dissolved & liquid no longer feels granular. Clip a candy thermometer to side of pan & bring liquid to a boil without stirring. Continue to heat until sugar syrup reaches 235 - 240 degrees F (soft-ball stage).
• 7. Meanwhile, using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip egg whites on medium speed just until soft peaks form. Just before sugar syrup reaches soft-ball stage, restart mixer on low speed. When syrup is at temperature, carefully drizzle it into egg whites.
• 8. Increase mixer speed to medium-high & whip for 5 - 7 minutes, until filling is thick, shiny & white, forming stiff peaks. Add vanilla & stir for another 15 seconds to incorporate.
• 9. ASSEMBLY - USE 1 OF THESE 2 METHODS: a) HOLES: Fill a pastry bag fitted with #364 tip with filling. Boat or mini loaf pan = 3 holes or cupcake = 1 hole. Insert pastry tip into each Twinkie & squeeze gently to fill. Cakes will swell slightly as the holes fill up, DO NOT OVERFILL OR WILL SPLIT. b) CUT LINE: With a knife, cut a small slit in the top of the cake (being careful not to cut through totally). Using an pastry bag, pipe a thick line of filling into the cut, holding the shape of the cake with your hand to prevent splitting. Once filled, place cut side up on the cooling rack & continue filling the remaining cakes.
• 10. Store filled cakes in refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week; as with most sponge cakes, they taste better after resting overnight rather than if eaten fresh.
• 11. I bake & send our part-time neighbors some Twinkies. So I shrink-wrapped them (using a Food Saver) & overnight them.