RECIPE
Yield: 12 regular size cupcakes / 24 mini cupcakes
VANILLA CUPCAKE
115g Unsalted Butter - room temperature
150 g Caster Sugar
5 g Vanilla Bean Paste
100g Eggs - room temperature
5 g Baking Powder
2 g Salt
160 g Plain Flour
120g Full cream Milk - Warm (not hot)
* For the mini cupcakes, I use a 40mm diameter pan with 20mm depth.
SALTED CARAMEL
150g Full Cream 35% Fat
5g Vanilla Bean Paste
2 g Gelatine Gold (1 Sheet = 2 g)
30 g Water
225g Caster Sugar
25g Glucose Syrup 105 g Unsalted Butter
SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM
105 g Egg Whites -room temperature
200g Caster Sugar
5 g Vanilla Bean Paste
1 g Salt
220g Unsalted Butter
50 g Dark Coverture Chocolate -melted
How to make the Caramel Chocolate Cupcake...
METHOD
FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE
1. Cream the room temperature butter, caster sugar and vanilla bean paste together until they are light and airy with a paddle attachment in a stand mixer bowl. Mixing time is approximately 2 - 3 minutes on medium speed.
In a separate bowl, sift together the plain flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Add in the salt.
2. Whisk the eggs to break them up then gradually add in the eggs while continuously whipping the butter mixture, only adding in the next addition of eggs until the mixture are well emulsified.
Note: Ensure that the eggs are at room temperature to prevent the mixture from splitting.
3. Gently warm the milk in the microwave. Ensure that the milk is Luke warm (around 40˚C) but not hot to touch.
4. Starting with the sifted dry ingredients, add 1/3 into the butter mixture, alternating with the warm milk and continue to alternate ensuring that you end with the dry ingredients.
5. Continue to mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
Note: If you see a sign of your mixture splitting, you can gently heat the mixture from around the outside of the bowl with a hair dryer, in a small burst and continue to mix until they look smooth again. You want to just gently heat the mixture and not melt the butter.
6. Line the muffin pan with individual patty pan. Fill the cavity half way. Bake in the pre heated oven for 15 minutes or when you touch the top, it feels firm.
7. Remove from the oven and transfer the cupcakes onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
Set aside for the final assembly.
FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL
1. Heat the Cream and vanilla together in a pot until it comes to a boil. Set aside.
2. Hydrate the gelatine leaves in cold water for at least 15 minutes.
3. In a really clean deep pot, place the water and sugar in and stir with a clean spatula to combine. Heat over medium heat until it starts to boil and caramelize. The mixture will start to boil and water will begin to evaporate and gradually turn to amber in color.
Note: The caramel will start to brown on the edges, and at this point, you can start to push the sides inwards with a clean heat proof spatula and do this occasionally until the whole mixture comes to a deep amber in color.
4 Deglaze the caramel with the hot cream by streaming it into the hot caramel while continuously whisking. Be careful at this stage as the mixture can spit therefore a deep pot is ideal.
5. Once all the cream has been added, whisk until the mixture are well incorporated. Turn the heat off and transfer into a deep heat proof jug. Leave the caramel to cool to 35˚C.
6. Once cooled, add in the cubed cold but pliable butter a little at a time and emulsify with a stick blender.
FOR THE SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM
1. Bring a pot of water to a mere simmer.
2. In a separate bowl that can sit on top of the pot, whisk together the egg whites and sugar and heat over the pot of warm water while continuously whisking until it reaches 60˚C - 65˚C. Ensure that the base of the pot is not touching the water to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
To test if the egg whites mixture is ready, if rubbed between your fingers, the sugar should be fully dissolved and do not feel grainy.
3. Transfer the egg whites mixture into a stand mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk over high speed until it comes to stiff peak and cools. The meringue should be below 30˚C.
Meanwhile melt the chocolate and keep it at 40˚C
4. Cut the cold but pliable butter to cubes then add into the cooled meringue slowly, only adding more butter when the mixture has come together. Continue to add the butter and whisk until they come to a buttercream consistency then add in the melted chocolate.
Note: If the mixture looks too soft after adding all the butter, place the bowl into the fridge to 15 minutes to chill slightly, and then whisk it again on high speed. If the mixture starts to split, induce heat around the mixer bowl on warm heat with a hair dryer or a heat gun, being careful not to induce too much heat which can melt the butter too much.
5. Transfer the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip ( I use a 15mm star tip).
To Assemble the Caramel Chocolate Cupcake
1. Using a 10mm plain pastry tip to remove and create a cavity in the centre of each cupcake.
2. Pipe the salted caramel into the cavity.
3. Pipe the Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream on top.
