I'm a huge Harry Potter fan, like to the point when it annoys me when people don't know really minute details of the wizarding world and don't have their house sorting exactly figured out.
Do people really exist that don't know their Hogwarts house?
I'm not a huge butterscotch person, but I had to try these! And I'm glad I did. They are the epitome of fall in a cupcake, and are like biting into instant comfort (like butterbeer should be).
This one I'm not copying over (though I have to say go with the pumpkin beer instead of cream soda if you can! It's so good!)
Donuts make me sick. I really don't understand people's obsession with them. Once after a Saturday track practice in junior high, I almost passed out after eating one.
Boston Creme Donuts always drag me back from my hatred, beckoning me with chocolate icing and reassuring that they won't make me ill with the custard filling. I'm such a sucker.
I've always loved Boston Creme Pie is my favorite type of cake, besides cheesecake..
This cupcake lives up to its two other forms and does not disappoint.
"Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
Ingredients:
For the Pastry Cream:
1⅓ cups heavy cream
3 egg yolks
⅓ cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 2 pieces
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract For the Cupcakes:
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool, cut into 12 pieces
3 eggs
¾ cup whole milk
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract For the Chocolate Glaze:
¾ cup heavy cream
¼ cup light corn syrup
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Make the Pastry Cream:
Heat the heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat until
simmering, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, sugar
and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the cornstarch and whisk until
the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 15 seconds.
When the cream reaches a full simmer, slowly whisk it into the
yolk mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium
heat, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla extract
until the butter is completely melted. Transfer the pastry cream to a
small bowl and press plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate
until set, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking
powder and salt on low speed. Add the butter one piece at time and mix
until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the eggs, one at a time,
scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition. Add
the milk and vanilla extract, increase the speed to medium, and mix
until light and fluffy and no lumps remain, about 3 minutes, stopping to
scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through.
Fill the muffin cups three-quarters full and bake until a
toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to
20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then
transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Glaze:
Combine the heavy cream, corn syrup, chocolate and vanilla in a small
saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Set the
glaze aside to cool and thicken at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Assemble the Cupcakes:
Using a paring knife, cut into the center of the cupcake at a 45-degree
angle about ⅛-inch from the edge and cut all the way around. Remove the
cone and cut away all but the top ¼ inch, leaving a small disk of cake.
Fill the inside of each cupcake with pastry cream and top with the
disk of cake. Spoon the chocolate glaze over top of each cupcake,
covering the top completely. Refrigerate the cupcakes until the glaze is
set, about 10 minutes. The cupcakes can be refrigerated in an airtight
container for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
Prepare strawberries by rinsing,
draining, removing caps and cutting into small pieces. Place in a large
bowl. Add sugar. Stir and allow to sit at room temperature for about 30
minutes. Strain the juice from the strawberries into a one-cup measure.
Add enough water to make one cup of liquid. In a small saucepan, combine
the strawberry liquid, lemon juice, cornstarch and salt.
Cook over medium heat, stirring
constantly until the mixture boils and becomes thick enough to coat the
back of a spoon. Cool completely. Stir mixture into reserved
strawberries. Stir. Using a blender, blend on low speed until filling is
smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use. Any leftover strawberry filling
may be kept for several days and used on toast, pancakes or mixed in
plain Greek yogurt.
To fill the cupcakes you can use the
large end of a piping tip, knife or apple corer to cut out a round
section in the cupcake. Then fill the cupcake and put the cut-out
portion of the cupcake back over the filling.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add vinegar to almond or soy
milk and set aside. Sift together all dry ingredients (cake flour,
baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar). Soften margarine in
microwave (do not melt it completely), and add to dry ingredients.
Add remaining wet ingredients, and mix until just combined. Be careful to not over mix. Fill muffin tins 2/3 fu
