I had this idea Cupcake brain for years. Seriously. I mean it was perhaps one of my first ideas to blog when I started. I knew it was something I wanted to distri- but for the life of me, I could not imagine how. Burned cream has always been one of my favorite desserts, and it seemed time for filling creamy vanilla and crisp sugar topping burned to make its way into a cupcake.
But the inspiration never hit ... then shelved the idea went. That is until a good amount of delicious vanilla bean custard was the remains of my recent draft macaroon, and I had to find a way to use it.
I knew that the pastry cream is not exactly the same texture as the cream of my favorite French dessert, but it was worth a try right? I needed something that was strong enough to be filling and the "icing" on a cupcake, and my silky custard seemed to be just the thing.
Well, I must admit I could not be happier with how they were found! The frothy vanilla cake is the perfect base for the filling, and when I took my first bite and patted the top of bruleéd break and looked, I knew I was doing something special.
Now you need a kitchen torch to them, no alternative to grilling unfortunately- but I really think it's worth it. They are fairly cheap, small and I use mine all the time! What can I Burned !?
PS I had the most wonderful, educational experience Blog King Arthur Flour & Bake recent days. I plan to share everything with you soon!
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract pure
- ½ cup plus 2 T buttermilk
- 1 pint of whole milk (2 cups)
- 6 T cornstarch
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 4 egg yolks
- butter 2 oz
- 2 extract c vanilla (or a clove)
- pinch of salt
- * sugar for garnish
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with covers; put aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated; scrape sides of bowl and beat in vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with flour, mix until just combined after each addition. Scrape the bowl and the bottom, making sure there are no traces of flour.
- Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake until tops bounce when touched, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a gate; let cool for 5 minutes-and then make cupcakes from pan and cool the rest of the way on a grid
- In a medium bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in ¼ cup of milk and set aside.
- Combine the remaining milk with the sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to boil.
- Whisk eggs into the milk / cornstarch until smooth.
- Temper the eggs by pouring ⅓ boiling milk into the egg mixture in a steady stream with one hand while stirring gently with the other hand. When mixed add the milk / egg back to the pan with the remaining milk.
- Boil for one minute stirring constantly until mixture is thick, sparkling, and can coat the back of a wooden spoon.
- Remove from heat and whisk the butter and vanilla.
- Transfer to a cold container, press a little plastic wrap directly on the cream and let cool completely before using in cupcakes.
- Use a paring knife to make a hole in a cone shape in the center of each cupcake. Use a spoon or piping bag to fill and frost each cupcake with custard.
- Cupcakes can be refrigerated at this stage until just before serving, when ready sprinkle sugar generously over every inch of the pastry cream (more sugar than you think is necessary to create this layer crisp.), use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until golden brown and melted.
- Serve immediately.
adapted pastry Cook'n with class (My Paris cooking school.)
(the pastry cream can be made ahead and refrigerated until you are ready to use it. If it seems loosen stiffness is running through a food processor or with an immersion blender. (I did.) will be smooth and silky in seconds!)