CHERRY & ALMOND VIENNESE WHIRLS: A PLANET FRIENDLY BOOK RECIPE

To celebrate the launch of our new cookbook ‘Planet Friendly Baking’. Here’s a recipe that’s melt in your mouth delicious and one of our favourites in the bakery.

CHERRY & ALMOND VIENNESE WHIRLS

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CHERRY CURD

30g dried cherries (or 120g fresh or frozen cherries)
6 tbsp hot water
50g salted butter
100g caster sugar
2 egg yolks

FOR THE DOUGH

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

100g salted butter, softened
220g icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp milk

YOU WILL NEED

A piping bag
A star tip for the piping bag (optional, these can be done without, but the biscuits won’t have the pattern)

METHOD

To make the cherry curd, put the dried cherries in a small bowl and add 3 tablespoons of hot water. Leave for 5 minutes to rehydrate. If using fresh or frozen cherries, you can skip this step.
Place a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the surface of the water. Heat together the butter, sugar, and cherries (along with any liquid from the cherries) until the butter has melted. Slowly add the egg yolks, stirring continuously.
Continue to cook the curd for 10 minutes or until it’s the consistency of custard. Pass the curd through a sieve, discarding the remaining cherries, and set aside for later use.
To make the biscuit dough, combine the plain flour, almond flour, icing sugar and cornflour in a mixing bowl. Add the softened butter, vanilla extract, and milk, mixing all the ingredients together until a soft dough forms.
Snip about 1cm off the tip of a piping bag and position the star nozzle in the hole. Spoon the dough into the bag and tie a knot in the opening. Evenly pipe 24 Viennese Whirl biscuits onto two greaseproof paper-lined baking trays. Start piping from the outside, finishing the swirl in the centre. It may be helpful to print a template of 12 circles, 6cm in diameter, spaced evenly on an A4 sheet. Place this under the greaseproof paper and use the circles as a guide, but don’t forget to remove the paper carefully before baking!
Place the tray of biscuits in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°c/160°c fan/gas 4, and clean the piping bag and nozzle in hot soapy water before drying thoroughly (you will need it for the buttercream).
After chilling, bake the biscuits for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden around the edges, then allow them to cool.
To prepare the buttercream filling. Place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Add the icing sugar, vanilla extract, and milk, continuing to mix until very light and fluffy. Position the clean star nozzle in a piping bag as before and spoon the buttercream into the bag.
Once cooled, carefully pipe the buttercream onto the underside of 12 of the biscuits, but be gentle as they’re quite fragile! Spread the cherry curd onto the remaining 12 biscuits, then gently sandwich the two halves together to complete the Viennese Whirls. Serve with a hot cup of your favourite tea and enjoy!

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Planet Friendly Baking combines a love for scrumptious recipes and a passion for our planet. With over 50 stunning bakes and insightful chapters on Food Impact and Food Waste, readers can stay conscious as they snack their way through the seasons. Focusing on inspiration rather than guilt, it’s the perfect companion for sweet-toothed readers looking for a more mindful approach to their afternoon tea.