How To Make Creme Brûlée Cupcakes
These creme brulee cupcakes come with layers of goodness: a soft and fluffy cupcake topped with pastry creme, then finished with burnt sugar.
Serves:
Ingredients
For Pastry Cream:
- 1cupheavy cream
- ⅔cupmilk
- ½cupgranulated sugar,divided
- ⅛tspsalt
- ½vanilla bean
- 4large egg yolks
- 3tbspcornstarch
- 1tbspunsalted butter
For Cupcake:
- 1½cupsall purpose flour
- 1tspbaking powder
- ¼tspsalt
- ½cupunsalted butter,at room temperature
- ¾cupgranulated sugar,plus 2 tbsp
- 1large egg,at room temperature
- 2largelarge egg whites,at room temperature
- 1½tspvanilla extract
- cupwhole milk
For Topping:
- ⅓cupgranulated sugar
- whipped cream,optional
- 12fresh raspberries,optional
Instructions
Pastry Cream:
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In a medium saucepan, heat heavy cream, milk, 6 tablespoons of sugar, salt, and seeds of ½ vanilla bean along with vanilla bean pod over medium heat.
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Bring mixture just to a gentle bubble, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat as necessary to prevent vigorous boiling while preparing the remainder.
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Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and 2 tablespoons sugar until well blended.
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Add cornstarch to egg yolk mixture and mix until very well combined and slightly pale and fluffy.
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Take about ½ cup of the hot cream mixture from the pan, and while vigorously whisking, slowly pour the hot cream mixture (about 1 tablespoon at a time) into the egg yolk mixture.
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Reduce burner temperature to medium-low. Then, while whisking the hot cream mixture in the saucepan, slowly pour the egg yolk mixture into the hot cream mixture in the saucepan.
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Cook the mixture, whisking constantly until thickened. Allow it to boil for about 30 seconds to cook out the starchy flavor.
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Immediately force the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Mix in 1 tablespoon butter.
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Cover with plastic wrap pressing directly against the surface of the custard. Chill thoroughly for about 2 hours.
Cupcakes:
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt for seconds. Set aside.
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In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy.
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Mix in egg, then blend in egg whites and vanilla. Add ½ of the flour mixture and blend just until combined, then add milk and blend just until combined.
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Finish adding in the remaining ½ flour mixture and blend just until combined.
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Divide batter among 12 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup about ⅔ full.
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Bake in preheated oven for 21 to 24 minutes until the toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To Assemble:
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Pipe or spread chilled pastry cream over cooled cupcakes into an even layer.
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Working with one cupcake at a time, sprinkle the entirety of pastry cream with sugar then heat with a kitchen torch until sugar begins to melt and caramelize.
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Allow topping to cool, then garnish with whipped cream and raspberry if desired. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
The pastry cream can be made the day before and the cupcakes can be made hours ahead of time. But top with sugar and caramelize sugar just before serving.
Nutrition
- Calories: 350.69kcal
- Fat: 18.49g
- Saturated Fat: 10.98g
- Trans Fat: 0.35g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 5.30g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.01g
- Carbohydrates: 42.04g
- Fiber: 0.56g
- Sugar: 27.90g
- Protein: 4.74g
- Cholesterol: 128.39mg
- Sodium: 138.35mg
- Calcium: 72.37mg
- Potassium: 79.75mg
- Iron: 1.05mg
- Vitamin A: 188.83µg
- Vitamin C: 0.62mg
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