Crème Brûlée Cupcakes

I love crème brûlée. It is seriously one of the most elegant, rich, and satisfying desserts I can think of…and as you guys know I can think of a lot of desserts. The thing is it can be a little intimidating and somewhat on the complicated side for many people..and it isn’t something most people will throw together to go with hot dogs for a quick dinner, you know?

Yeah.

I thought if there was a way to get the flavor of crème brûlée into a more do-able format for most people it would be awesome.  And, since the cupcake craze is thankfully coming to an end I can now start posting cupcakes more often.

I know. I am ornery like that. I hate to be part of a trend…. so if I am doing something and it starts to trend I tend to move on to something else until it stops trending. Anyway, cupcakes are fast and easy…and they are do-able. Who is afraid of a cupcake? Nobody! I mean, when you had all those class parties in school what did the room mother bring? CUPCAKES!

So… crème brûlée cupcakes…. I used a poundcake batter, based on Dorie Greenspan’s Perfection Poundcake in Baking:From My Home to Yours. I wanted to keep the rich mouthfeel of the crème brûlée.  I increased the vanilla because I wanted the whole experience to be rich, intense, amazing… just like with… you know. Crème brûlée. I added a quick grating of fresh nutmeg to intensify and add complexity to the vanilla flavor. Once they were baked I filled them with a rich crème patisserie. Then I topped them with vanilla buttercream and glazed salted pecans…

THEN I added turbinado sugar and got out my blow torch.. Yeah.. I don’t use a little kitchen one.. I use a big, blue workman’s torch. The problem I had was that in order to get the sugar to melt properly the buttercream also melted and slipped a little.  I am wondering if I could get around that by using regular sugar or by freezing the cupcakes before I blasted them with fire?

If you love crème brûlée I think you will like these. I am sure you will. Keep them in the fridge. If you want the cream to be like a custard refrigerate for 4 hours before frosting and serving. If you want it to be like a sauce then serve them at room temperature within an hour of making them.

Crème Brûlée Cupcakes

• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 c vanilla sugar
• a quick grating of fresh nutmeg… just a pinch
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 Tablespooons vanilla
• Scrapings from 1/2 inch piece of vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Prepare 18 muffin cups with cupcake liners and set aside
3. Whisk the dry ingredients together
4. Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy
5. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl often
6. Add in the vanilla and vanilla bean scrapings
7. Turn the mixer off and fold in the dry ingredients gently
8. Scoop into cupcake liners and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until done
9. Let cool completely
10. Hollow out the cupcake with a small knife. The hollow should be about the size of your thumb. Set the top of the cut out aside.
11. Eat the scraps.
12. Fill each with the pastry cream.
13. Gently lay the top piece back on the cupcake and press lightly.
14. Frost with the buttercream.
15. Sprinkle with glazed pecans and sugar.
16. Caramelize with a kitchen torch.

Serves 18.

Crème Patisserie

No need to be afraid of this either… just think of it as pudding.

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/4″ vanilla bean cut in half
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup[ organic cornstarch
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter

1. Add the vanilla bean to the half and half and milk and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
2. Whisk the egg yolks in another saucepan with the cornstarch and sugar.
3. Slowly add 1/4 cup of the hot milk, whisking constantly.
4. Pour in the rest of the milk continuing to whisk.
5. Place on medium heat and keep whisking while the mixture reaches a boil.
6. Boil 2 minutes and remove from heat.
7. Remove vanilla pod and scrape into the cream.
8. Add vanilla and butter, stirring until completely smooth.
9. Cover with a piece of buttered plastic wrap resting on surface and chill.

Butter- Cream Frosting

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

1. Beat the butter and add the vanilla and salt. Beat until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.
2. Beat in the sugar until thick and creamy.
3. Whip on high speed.
4. Add the heavy cream as needed to thin and get the right texture.

Glazed Pecans

These add not only a nice crunch, but a salty contrast to the sweet.

• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 2 TBS butter
• 1 tsp sugar
• Sprinkle of  kosher salt

1. Melt the butter in the  pan and add the pecans, salt and sugar.
2. Toast, stirring constantly, do not let burn.
3. Allow to cool before using.

Store in the fridge.

images: (c) marye audet 2010

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