Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

Photo Credit: http://joelens.blogspot.com

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

Original Recipe: http://joelens.blogspot.com/2011/04/boston-cream-pie-cupcakes.html

Ingredients:
Pastry Cream:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• pinch of table salt
• 4 teaspoons conrnstarch
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold & cut into 2 pieces
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cupcakes:

• 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoons table salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened but slightly cool, cut into 12 pieces
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cups milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Glaze:

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
For the pastry cream:

1. Bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, whisk the yolks, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the cornstarch and whisk the mixture is pale yellow and thick.
2. 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. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla. Transfer the pastry cream to a small bowl and refrigerate, with plastic wrap pressed flush against its surface, until cold and set, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

For the cupcakes:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard muffin pan with paper baking cups and set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar on low speed. Add the butter, 1 piece at a time, and combine until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the eggs, 1 at time, and mix until fully combined. Add the milk and vanilla, increase the speed to medium, and mix until the batter is light, fluffy and free of lumps.
3. Fill the lined muffin cups three-quarters full, being careful not to overfill. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean, about 18 to 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the glaze:

1. Cook the cream, corn syrup, chocolate, and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Set aside and allow to thicken for 30 minutes.

To assemble:

1. Insert a small knife at a 45 degree angle about 1/8 inch from the edge of each cupcake and cut all the way around, remove a cone of cake. Cut away all but the top 1/4 inch of the cone; leaving only a small disk of cake which will be used to top the cupcake.
2. Fill each cupcake with 2 tablespoons of pastry cream and top with the disk of cake.
3. Carefully top each filled cupcake with a 1-2 tablespoons of the chocolate glaze. Refrigerate until just set, about 10 minutes.