These chocolate Viennese whirls are a must-try for any chocolate lover. Each one is made with two swirls of chocolate shortbread and silky smooth chocolate ganache, making a tasty twist on the British classic.
If you like British biscuits then you're going to LOVE these chocolate Viennese whirls. They're just as delicious as the original version, with their melt-in-your-mouth texture, but they have chocolatey flavour in every bite. Instead of buttercream and jam in the middle, these are filled with dark chocolate ganache- how's that for indulgent?!
If you've never made Viennese biscuits before or have tried and failed, don't be put off. I've included all of my top tips and tricks in the post below to help you get them right the first time you try this recipe. I hope you enjoy them!
Ingredients
Here's everything you'll need to make chocolate Viennese whirls:
- Butter or margarine: I personally prefer using margarine because of its consistently soft texture, especially when I'm baking in winter and butter tends to be harder than usual. If you do decide to use butter, it's super important for it to be very soft, otherwise, the biscuit dough will be too hard to pipe and will probably burst your piping bag. To soften butter, leave it out at room temperature for about an hour before you start baking. If it's still too hard after this time, pop it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to soften it. Just be careful you don't end up with melted butter because that's not what we're going for either.
- Icing sugar: Icing sugar dissolves easily into the fat, creating a smooth, light biscuit texture. It's also great for dusting on top of the finished whirls for decoration. This type of sugar is also known as powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar.
- Vanilla extract: Optional, but adds extra flavour.
- Plain flour: Plain flour (AKA all-purpose flour) gives the biscuits structure without making them too tough or cakey. I haven't tested this recipe with gluten-free flour yet so I'm unsure if that'd work well.
- Cocoa powder: This is used to add the chocolate flavour to the biscuits. If you prefer, you can leave this out and add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the butter and sugar- you'll just have chocolate-filled Viennese whirls instead of double chocolate ones.
- Milk: Cocoa powder makes this biscuit dough drier than the traditional version, so adding a couple of tablespoons of milk helps to thin it out a little.
- Dark chocolate: The star of the ganache filling! Dark chocolate gives a deep, intense flavour that balances out the sweetness of the biscuits. I prefer using chocolate with around 50% cocoa for this, as it's not too bitter nor too sweet. Chop it finely to help it melt smoothly.
- Double cream: We'll combine this with the chocolate to make the silky smooth ganache. Don't swap this for single cream or any low-fat alternatives- the high-fat content will allow us to whip the ganache properly.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls: A large one for making the biscuit dough and another one for making the ganache.
- Utensils: You'll need a wooden spoon and a tablespoon.
- Piping bag and nozzle: You'll need a strong piping bag or pastry bag for this recipe as the dough is quite thick. You'll also need a large star nozzle. If you don't mind your biscuits having a different appearance, you could try using a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off and just piping blobs instead of swirls. I've found that reusable silicone pastry bags work best- they're super strong and easier to clean.
- Large baking tray: Make sure it's big enough to fit all your piped swirls (with some space between them) or have an extra tray on hand.
- Cooling rack: To prevent soggy-bottomed biscuits.
- Saucepan: To heat the cream for the ganache.
- Electric mixer: You'll need this for whipping the ganache and possibly for the biscuit dough too. I usually use an electric hand whisk but a stand mixer will work too.
- Digital kitchen scale: Precise measurements are important for this recipe, especially the biscuit dough ingredients. Baking is a science, and even small measurement errors can affect the final result.
How to make chocolate Viennese whirls
Step 1: Line a large tray with baking paper and preheat your oven to 180°C (or 160°C if you're using a fan oven).
Step 2: In a large bowl, mix together 240g of margarine or soft butter, 60g of icing sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Then stir in 230g of plain flour, 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons of milk. Mix well to make a paste-like dough- the texture should somewhat resemble a thick buttercream.
Step 3: Transfer the dough to a strong piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle then pipe 2-inch swirls onto your tray, leaving a little space between them. You should get about 18-20 swirls in total from the dough.
Step 4: Bake your Viennese whirls for around 10-12 minutes, or until they're firm to the touch. Let them cool for a few minutes then carefully transfer to a wire rack and leave them to cool completely.
Step 5: While the biscuits are cooling, it's time to prepare the chocolate ganache. Start by chopping 120g of dark chocolate into small pieces. Place it into a bowl.
Step 6: Pour 120ml of double cream into a small saucepan and place over medium heat on the stove. When the cream is just starting to bubble at the sides, remove it from the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for a few minutes then mix well until the chocolate has fully melted.
Step 7: Let the chocolate ganache cool to room temperature (about 1 hour) then whisk it using an electric whisk, until it becomes fluffy and thick enough to pipe.
Step 8: Pipe or spoon the ganache onto half of the biscuits then sandwich them together with the other half using a slight twisting motion. Top with a dusting of icing sugar and enjoy!
Top Tips
- Although it's not usually praised in the baking world, margarine gives me consistently better results than butter when it comes to Viennese whirls. The texture of butter can change quickly depending on the temperature of your kitchen, whereas margarine is consistently soft. It's also a lot easier to mix.
- If the chocolate for the filling doesn't melt fully after adding the cream, you can pop the ganache in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time, stirring in between until melted.
- For a festive twist, try adding a drop of peppermint or orange extract to the chocolate ganache.
FAQs
If you store them in an airtight container these will last for up to 48 hours in the fridge. They won't keep well at room temperature due to the fresh cream in the ganache. I recommend filling them on the day you plan to serve them to keep the biscuits nice and crunchy.
Yes, these can be frozen unfilled for up to 3 months in airtight containers. When you're ready to eat them, let them defrost at room temperature for an hour or two then fill just before serving. Do not refreeze.
Yes. If you want your biscuits to be sweeter, you can use milk chocolate ganache instead. To do this, you'll need to reduce the double cream by half, so 120g of milk chocolate and 60ml of double cream.
If your ganache is too runny after whisking, it might not have cooled enough. Pop it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes then try whisking again.
Yes, you sure can. While piping gives the classic swirl shape, you can use a ziplock bag with the end cut off or drop mounds of the mixture onto the baking tray with teaspoons. Of course, they won't look quite the same but they'll still taste delicious.
This dough does not require refrigeration, particularly if you're using margarine. The swirls will hold shape just fine!
More cookie recipes
I hope you like these chocolate Viennese whirls. Let me know what you think of the recipe by leaving a rating or comment below. Enjoy!
Chocolate Viennese Whirls
Ingredients
- 240 g Margarine (or very soft butter)
- 60 g Icing sugar (plus more to dust on top, if desired)
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 230 g Plain flour
- 2 Tablespoons Cocoa powder
- 2 Tablespoons Milk
Ganache:
- 120 g Dark chocolate, finely chopped (dark chocolate with 40-50% cocoa will give the perfect amount of sweetness)
- 120 ml Double cream
Instructions
- Line a large tray with baking paper and preheat your oven to 180°C (or 160°C for fan ovens).
- Place the margarine, icing sugar and vanilla extract into a large bowl then mix well until smooth.
- Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the bowl, add the milk then mix well to make a soft but thick paste. Transfer the mixture into a strong piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle.
- Pipe 2-inch swirls onto your lined tray, leaving a small space in between each one. You should end up with 18-20 swirls.
- Bake the biscuits for 10-12 minutes until firm to the touch. Let them cool on the tray for 5 minutes then carefully transfer them to a wire rack. Let them cool completely.
Ganache:
- Place the chopped chocolate into a bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan until it's just starting to bubble at the edges then pour it over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 5 minutes then gently mix until smooth.
- Let the ganache cool to room temperature for 1 hour (do not refrigerate it) then use an electric whisk to whisk it up until thick and fluffy.
- Pipe or spoon the ganache onto half of the Viennese whirls and top with the other half to make 9-10 sandwiched whirls.
- Top with a dusting of icing sugar then enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
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