Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

Boston cream pie. Who doesn't love Boston cream pie, or Boston cream doughnuts? I know my boys do. I'm so happy that Martha Stewart has this recipe in her cupcakes book. Those were so fun to make, and are really delicious. In half an hour after I was done with everything  there were 4 left out of 20. I think that says it all.

Ingredients:

       6 tbsp          unsalted butter plus more for buttering the tins ( room temperature)

1 1/2 cups          all-purpose flour plus more for the tins.

  1 1/2 tsp           baking powder

     1/2 tsp           salt

   1/2 cup           milk

     3 large          eggs room temperature

       1 cup           sugar

        1 tsp          pure vanilla extract

Pastry cream  ( recipe follows )

Ingredients:

4 large                  egg yolks

1/2 cup                 sugar

1/4 cup                 cornstarch

pinch                    salt

2 cups                   milk

1 1/4 tsp                pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache glaze ( recipe follows)

6 oz                      semisweet chocolate chopped ( or chocolate chips )

1/2 cup                   heavy cream

1 tbsp                     light corn syrup ( optional)

Preheat oven to F. 350  Brush standard muffin tins with butter; dust with flour, tapping out excess.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Bring milk and butter to a boil.

Mix until completely melted.

With an electric mixer set on high, beat the eggs and sugar until fluffy, pale and thick ( about 5 minutes) enough to hold a ribbon on the surface for several seconds.

Reduce the speed to medium and gradually add the flour mixture whisking until just incorporated.

With the mixer on low speed add the hot milk mixture in slow stream. Mix until smooth. Beat in the vanilla.

This is how is suppose to look.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared tins ( there are 20 cupcakes ). Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Let the cupcakes cool down in the tins for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and remove to a cooling rack. Cool completely before cutting.

To make the pastry cream:

In a small saucepan combine sugar, corn starch and salt and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly add the milk in a slow steady stream.

Cook until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Whisking continually pour on third of the milk mixture slowly in the egg yolks ( this step is called tempering which keeps the yolks from curdling).

Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan and return the saucepan on the stove over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens about 2 to 4 minutes.

Remove from stove and add the vanilla. Mix well. Strain the mixture thru a fine sieve in a heat proof bowl.

Cover with parchment paper directly on the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. refrigerate for 2 hours.

To make the chocolate ganache glaze:

Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the cream  and corn syrup( if using) to a boil and pour over the chocolate. using a spatula start mixing from the center working towards the edges. Mix until the chocolate is melted, smooth and glossy.

To assemble the cupcakes. Cut each cupcakes horizontally. Spoon about 1 generous tbsp on the bottom part. Place the top and spoon ganache on top.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!