Mini Whole Wheat Strawberry Shortcakes

Dagan's class had a harvest feast last Friday. Each child had to pick an ingredient and bring a food that showcased that ingredient to the potluck. Dagan picked strawberries. He wanted to bring cupcakes but I thought that would be too sugary. Instead, I found a recipe for whole wheat shortcakes. The only not so healthy ingredient was the whipped cream but it was not very sweet. I used mini whoopie pie pans/ macaron pans to make the little "hats" to make them look more like shortcakes. Sage did the piping of all of the whipped cream and stacked the strawberries. He said when he grows up he wants to be a baker or pastry chef.

Mini Whole Wheat Strawberry Shortcakes
Adapted from recipe  http://www.tammysrecipes.com/whole_wheat_strawberry_shortcake

4 eggs, separated

3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup water

1/8 cup vegetable oil

1/8 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 lb. (2 cups) strawberries, sliced

2 cups chantilly cream

Chantilly Cream recipe:

1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Grease and flour mini muffin tins or use paper liners. Spray mini whoopie pie/macaron pan with non stick spray. Preheat oven to 325 F.

2. In a large mixing bowl use electric mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment to whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Beat in 1/4 cup of sugar (2 Tbsp. at a time) until sugar is dissolved and egg whites form stiff peaks.

3. Mix egg yolks, flour, water, oil, baking powder, vanilla and 1/2 cup of sugar together in another large bowl. Fold egg whites into the batter using a rubber spatula.

4. Spoon batter into mini muffin tins about 3/4 full. Fill whoopie pie/macaron pan with batter. Bake for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven when toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

5. To make the chantilly cream, place stand mixer mixing bowl and whisk attachment in fridge until cold.

6. Whip heavy cream on medium speed for 3 minutes until thickened. Turn mixer onto high and add confectioner's sugar. Add the vanilla extract and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Fill a piping bag with a large star tip with the chantilly cream.

7. Pipe chantilly cream onto the mini shortcakes. Place a slice of strawberry on top. Add some chantilly cream on top of strawberry. Gently press a "hat" (macaron shortcake) onto the chantilly cream. Pipe more cream onto the "hat" and top it off with another strawberry piece.

8. Refrigerate until serving. These topple over quite easily if the whipped cream starts melting.