Hazelnut Creme Brulee Cupcakes Food

CREME BRULEE CUPCAKE

Steps:

• For the cake batter: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F; line cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners.
• Put the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and beat slowly until it is smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and salt and cream at moderate speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the eggs and egg whites together a little at a time, beating after each addition until the eggs are absorbed before adding more. Mix until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl to insure even mixing, about 5 minutes.
• Sift together the cake flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside. Mix the milk and vanilla together in a separate bowl. Add one-quarter of the flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture and beat just until blended in. Add one-third of the milk mixture and beat just until blended in. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, alternating the flour with the milk, until all the ingredients are used. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally for even mixing.
• Scoop some batter into each liner and bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.
• For the custard frosting: Using an electric mixer with a whip attachment, whip the cornstarch and egg yolks in a stainless steel bowl until light and fluffy. Warm the whipping cream and confectioners' sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. When the cream mixture reaches about 100 degrees F, add about half of it to the egg yolks, whisking, and then transfer the mixture back to the saucepan. Continue cooking the yolk and cream mixture until it reaches a boil (about 180 degrees F). Remove from the heat immediately and pour into a clean stainless steel bowl. Whip in the butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy. (The mixture may be stored in an air-tight container up to 5 days.)
• For the brulee sugar mixture: Mix together the brown sugar and granulated sugar in a medium bowl.
• Top each cupcake with 1 1/2 ounces of the custard frosting. Sprinkle on some of the brulee sugar mixture and torch. Repeat several times to desired thickness.

HAZELNUT CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• preheat oven to 300.
• in a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and 1/3 cup of sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick and pale yellow.
• add cream, creamer, syrup and vanilla,and continue to whisk until well blended.
• strain into a large bowl, skimming off any foam or bubbles.
• divide mixture among 6 ramekins or custard cups.
• place a paper towel in the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch baking dish so the ramekins do not slide.
• put the ramekins on the paper towel.
• to make a water bath pour look warm water into pan until about halfway up the side of the ramekins.
• bake until set around edges but still a little loose in the very center (think jello), about 40 to 50 minutes.
• remove from oven and let cool in water bath chill for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
• when ready to serve, sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of superfine sugar over each custard.
• for best results use a hand held torch to melt and lightly brown sugar.
• rechill custard for a few minutes before serving.
• if you do not have a torch place under a broiler until sugar melts.

LEMON CREME BRULEE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Zest lemons into a small bowl and set aside. Juice lemons into a separate bowl and set aside.
• Whisk sugar and cornstarch together in a medium saucepan. Add half-and-half and whisk until fully combined. Add egg yolks and lemon zest and whisk thoroughly.
• Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently with a large spoon. Continue stirring until liquid thickly coats the back of the spoon.
• Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and butter until blended. Pour through strainer into a container. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until set.
• Once filling is set, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Combine butter with brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Blend in eggs, vanilla extract, salt, and half-and-half.
• With a mixer running on low, gradually blend in baking powder and flour, scraping down the sides if needed.
• Place 24 cupcake papers in cupcake tin, and spoon batter evenly into each.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out cleanly from the cupcakes. Remove from cupcake tin and allow to cool somewhat.
• Remove wrappers from the cakes. This is necessary to keep the paper from buring when the torch is used.
• Scoop out some of the cake to make a well, ensuring it's about a 1/4 inch thick (thinner than that my cause the filling to leak through the sides). Press together any holes that bubbles may formed in the carved out cake to ensure the filling stays in the cake.
• Spoon enough filling to fill the well, and smooth out to make a level surface. Don't spend too much time with making it perfectly smooth.
• Sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar on a few cupcakes at a time. Don't do more than a few at a time because the sugar will start to be absorbed by the filling. Tap the sides of the cupcake to level out the sugar if needed. Using a brulee torch, melt the sugar on the surface of the first cupcake. When it starts to smoke, move on to the next cupcake. Return to the first cake, if needed, to melt the remaining sugar. Repeat, doing a few at a time, until done.