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Red Velvet Twinkies at South Water Kitchen: Chef Waysok Shares His Recipe

 Chef Roger Waysok's gourmet red velvet Twinkies are on South Water Kitchen's holiday fixed price menu for Valentine's Day.
Red Velvet Twinkies at South Water Kitchen
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THE LOOP — Valentine's Day doesn't have to be about love for a partner. Twinkie fans have plenty to celebrate, too.

Namely, chef Roger Waysok's red velvet rendition of the classic treat, which packs a cream cheese filling into a classic red velvet cake.

Twinkies "just put a smile on your face," Waysok said of his creation, inspired by his own childhood love of the Hostess cakes. "I think the red velvet aspect creates more flavor, and it's nice to get a different take on something you've gotten used to."

The limited-edition menu item is on South Water Kitchen's holiday fixed price menu, a five-course meal for $65 per person with a $10 wine and beer pairing. Reservations are still available.

Twinkie fans who can't make the restaurant's Feb. 14 special can still get their fix: Waysok shared his recipe with DNAinfo.

While he hopes Twinkie fans will come to the restaurant to sample his dessert, Waysok said his top priority is sharing his creation with nostalgic foodies.

"[Twinkies] remind adults of childhood," he said. "It is a small way to be a kid again, and bring you back to a time when that cake was such a treat, and was like winning the kid lottery."

Check out Chef Waysok's recipe for red velvet Twinkies:

Red Velvet Twinkie:
6 large eggs, at room temperature
1¼ cups sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 tablespoon red food coloring (Waysok normally uses beets, but recommends this easier version for the at-home chef)
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon vanilla extract
1½ cups cake flour

Cream Cheese Filling:
5 ounces cream cheese
1½  cups confectioners sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps:
Beat egg yolks, then add sugar, food coloring, vanilla. In separate bowl combine cocoa powder, flour, salt and baking powder.  Add flour mixture to egg mixture, mixing just until combined. In separate bowl, whip egg whites to stiff peaks. In batches, combine whites with cake mixture, folding gently to preserve the egg white fluffiness.  Put batter into desired pans sprayed with nonstick baking spray. Bake at 350 degrees until cake is fluffy and set. Combine filling ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth and spreadable. Once the cakes are cooled, fill with cream cheese filling using a pastry bag and inserting into cake to fill.