Boston Cream Cupcakes
Cupcakes:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
8 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
2 1/3 tsp. vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean scraped of seeds
1 1/4 cups whole milk, room temperature
Pastry Cream:
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
1 vanilla bean , split and scraped of seeds
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons flour
Whipped Ganache:
1 lb. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp. instant espresso
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pans with 22 liners.
Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder; set aside. In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar and butter. Beat the butter mixture until light and fluffy , about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time; beating in well between each addition. In a liquid measuring cup, add the vanilla bean seeds to the milk along with the vanilla extract. Add one third of the flour to the butter mixture followed by one third of the milk mixture. Continue to add in thirds the flour and milk mixtures, mixing until just combined with last addition. Scoop evenly into 22 lined muffin cups. Bake for about 16-22 minutes until toothpick comes clean when inserted into the center. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before removing from tins. Allow to cool completely . Once cooled, using an apple corer, core out center of each cupcake. Set aside.
Pastry Cream:
In a small bowl whisk together the egg yolks, flour and vanilla extract. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine the milk and split vanilla bean and seeds. Bring to a boil and remove the vanilla bean. Whisk in some of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture to temper the eggs. Whisk the tempered eggs into the milk mixture and bring to a boil, whisking constantly until thickened. Whisk for 10 more seconds , then remove from heat and strain through sieve. Place in bowl and cover top with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cooled. Once pastry cream is cooled , place in a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip. Pipe the pastry cream into each cupcake. Store in refrigerator until ganache is ready to spread on cupcakes.
Whipped Ganache:
In a heat proof bowl add the heavy cream, espresso and chopped chocolate and place over simmering pan of water, place the bowl over the pan without water touching the bottom of the bowl. Stir until chocolate is melted and the cream and chocolate are well combined. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in refrigerator and thicken slightly. Place the ganache in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Whip until it begin to show tracks . Do not over whip. If the ganache is over whipped and turns grainy, reheat and restart the process. Spread on each cupcake.
