Boston Cream Cupcakes

Boston Cream Cupcakes

Pastry Cream:

1 1/3 cups heavy cream

3 large egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

pinch slat

4 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Cupcakes:

1/34 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool, cut into 12 pieces

3 large eggs

3/4 cups milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Glaze:

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup light corn syrup

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Pastry: 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 until the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 15 seconds.

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, about 1 1/2 minutes.  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

Cupcakes: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a standard muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray, flour generously, and tap the pan to remove the excess flour.

With a hand held mixer, combine the flour, baking powder,s alt and sugar on low speed in a large bowl.  Add the butter, 1 piece at a time, and combine until the mixture resembles coarse sand.  Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix until combined.  Add the milk and vanilla, increase the speed to medium, and mix until light and fluffy and no lumps remain, about 3 minutes.

Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.  Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Glaze:  Cook the cream, corn syrup, chocolate, and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth.  set aside to cool and thicken for 30 minutes.

Inset the tip of a small knife at a 45-degree angle about 1/8 inch from the edge of each cupcake and cut all the way around, removing a cone of cake.  Cut away all but the top 1/4 inch of the cone, leaving only a small disk of cake.  Fill each cupcake with 2 tablespoons pastry cream and top with the disk of cake.  Set the filled cupcakes on a wire rack set over parchment.  Spoon 2 tablespoons of glaze over each cupcake, allowing it to drip down the sides.  Refrigerate until just set, about 10 minutes.