Cream brulee cupcakes

The cupcake sponge is identical to the strawberry and custard cupcakes I made last week, but with a twist. I don’t normally make such similar recipes back to back but these looked special so I decided to go ahead. The book the recipe comes from is one of my favourite cupcake books – simply called “Cupcakes” by Murdoch Books; I love all their recipe books...and no, I don’t have shares in the company so it’s an honest opinion!


Whoever came up with this recipe – putting a crème brulee inside a cupcake – deserves much praise; it is a genius concept! The custard is silky and thick but made tons! I had lots left over....which isn’t the world’s worst problem I admit!


You need to take a little more care when creating the brulee topping so as not to char the sponge with your blow torch. It’s not tricky...just be careful out there! If I could hand you two tips to make these, that I learned by bitter experience, they would be as follows:

1. Don’t use a frilly paper case because when you start blowtorching the top you will set fire to the case and a flaming cupcake is not a joyous thing. Thankfully, no harm was done.
2. You can make and fill the cupcakes in advance and refrigerate until you wish to serve, but add the brulee topping at the last minute. I made them the day before and, because they need refrigeration, my brulee topping went soggy. They still tasted great but they lacked crunch.


Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
185g unsalted butter, at room temperature
170g caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs
125g self raising flour
60g plain flour
125ml milk

For the custard and topping:
375ml whole milk
3 egg yolks
55g caster sugar
2 tablespoons plain flour

12 teaspoons soft brown sugar

How to make:

- Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
- Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper cases, have a second tin on standby with paper cases as I found the mix made enough for several more cupcakes.
- Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla together until creamy and light.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Weigh out the flours and measure out the milk.
- Fold half the flour in, followed by half the milk. Repeat.
- Spoon the mixture into the paper cases. Fill each case about 2/3 full.
- Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out cleanly.
- Leave to cool on a wire rack.
- Now make the filling: place the milk in a saucepan and bring just about to the boil.
- Remove from the heat.
- Beat the egg yolks, sugar and flour until thick and pale.
- Gradually whisk in the milk.
- Pour through a sieve, back into the saucepan and stir over a medium heat until the mixture thickens and comes almost up to the boil.
- Remove from the heat
- When the cupcakes are cool cut the centre out of each one – don’t go right through to the bottom; you’re aiming to create a little bowl made of cupcake.
- Fill each cavity with as much custard as possible.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Sprinkle one teaspoon of soft brown sugar over each cupcake and blowtorch until the sugar melts and turns brown.
- Leave the sugar to harden.
- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
- Eat.