Now, Boston Cream Pie is probably the most delicious thing in the world. At Slice of Pie, in Rolla, it's my first choice when the Mint Chip Ice Cream Pie isn't in season. Since it was the last week of Carousel, I wanted to do an especially meaningful and delicious cupcake...and naturally, Boston Cream Pie came to mind. Also, every time I think of Boston Cream Pie, I think of my friend Nick who introduced me to the wonders of this deliciously amazing pie.
Boston Cream Pie Cupcakesoriginally from www.marthastewart.com1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for tins
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for tins
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour standard muffin tins. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Warm milk and butter in a saucepan over low heat.
2.Beat eggs and sugar with a mixer on high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Beat in dry ingredients.
3.Bring milk and butter to a boil. With mixer on low speed, add milk mixture to batter, and beat until smooth. Add vanilla. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each halfway. Bake cupcakes until light gold, about 15 minutes. Let cool in tins for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks. Let cool.
4.Using a serrated knife, cut each in half horizontally. Spread 1 tablespoon vanilla cream on each cupcake bottom. Sandwich with top. Spoon glaze over each, and serve immediately.
Vanilla Cream2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1.Whisk yolks until smooth. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add milk in a slow, steady stream. Cook, stirring, until mixture begins to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes.
2.Pour 1/3 of milk mixture into yolks, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until thick, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
3.Pass vanilla cream through a fine sieve into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on surface. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days.
Chocolate Ganache Glaze2/3 cup heavy cream
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1.Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, and add chocolate and corn syrup. Let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and let cool, stirring often. Use immediately.
**Hannah's Hints**
* You have to make the vanilla cream first so that it can cool while you make the cake! Also, I had a minor disaster wherein I had 20 minutes before I had to leave and my cream had turned into gelatin instead of cream...I freaked out and made another batch and put it in the fridge, stirring it every 2 minutes or so...took it out 15 minutes later and put it on the cupcakes. It worked just fine, so it's not terribly important about the chilled thing...just cool it so it's not drippy!
* The vanilla cream recipe calls for you to pass it through a sieve, which may have been why mine was a mini disaster...if anyone makes it and is able to do this step, please let me know if it turns out better!
* You butter and flour cupcake pans for this instead of using cupcake papers so you get a pretty outside...however, this causes a huger mess to clean up in the end. Trust me, though, it's worth it to use a good amount of butter and flour so it doesn't stick.
* The ganache is delicious and fun to drizzle over the cupcakes...just make sure it's still warm.
* You could almost make a little more vanilla cream so that you have more to put on the cupcakes...the more yummy insides and toppings, the better. Duh.
Everyone in the cast enjoyed them! Super yummy, and I definitely recommend you make them! It's a fairly involved process and you get a lot of dishes dirty, but it's sooo worth it for the delicious and adorable final product!
PS This is from opening night of Carousel...shows for Hannah = curly hair = crazypants after-show hair
