Hazelnut Creme Brulee Cupcakes Recipes

Steps:

• Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and flour twenty-four 2-1/2-inch muffin cups (or line with paper bake cups). In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat for 2 minutes more. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in liqueur and vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Fold in nuts.
• Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups.
• Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.
• For the buttercream: Allow butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup of the powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in the 2 tablespoons milk, the liqueur, and vanilla. Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar. Beat in additional milk until buttercream reaches spreading consistency.
• For the Sugar drizzle: In a large skillet cook sugar over medium-high heat until sugar starts to melt, shaking skillet occasionally. Do not stir. When sugar starts to melt, reduce heat to low and cook about 5 minutes or until all of the sugar is melted, stirring as needed with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat. Immediately drizzle sugar mixture over frosted cupcakes.
• Spread Vanilla-Hazelnut Buttercream onto tops of cupcakes. Quickly drizzle with Caramelized Sugar Drizzle. If desired, sprinkle with nutmeg. Makes 24 (2-1/2 inch) cupcakes.

Steps:

• For the cake batter: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F; line cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners.
• Put the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and beat slowly until it is smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and salt and cream at moderate speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the eggs and egg whites together a little at a time, beating after each addition until the eggs are absorbed before adding more. Mix until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl to insure even mixing, about 5 minutes.
• Sift together the cake flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside. Mix the milk and vanilla together in a separate bowl. Add one-quarter of the flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture and beat just until blended in. Add one-third of the milk mixture and beat just until blended in. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, alternating the flour with the milk, until all the ingredients are used. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally for even mixing.
• Scoop some batter into each liner and bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.
• For the custard frosting: Using an electric mixer with a whip attachment, whip the cornstarch and egg yolks in a stainless steel bowl until light and fluffy. Warm the whipping cream and confectioners' sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. When the cream mixture reaches about 100 degrees F, add about half of it to the egg yolks, whisking, and then transfer the mixture back to the saucepan. Continue cooking the yolk and cream mixture until it reaches a boil (about 180 degrees F). Remove from the heat immediately and pour into a clean stainless steel bowl. Whip in the butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy. (The mixture may be stored in an air-tight container up to 5 days.)
• For the brulee sugar mixture: Mix together the brown sugar and granulated sugar in a medium bowl.
• Top each cupcake with 1 1/2 ounces of the custard frosting. Sprinkle on some of the brulee sugar mixture and torch. Repeat several times to desired thickness.

Steps:

• preheat oven to 300.
• in a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and 1/3 cup of sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick and pale yellow.
• add cream, creamer, syrup and vanilla,and continue to whisk until well blended.
• strain into a large bowl, skimming off any foam or bubbles.
• divide mixture among 6 ramekins or custard cups.
• place a paper towel in the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch baking dish so the ramekins do not slide.
• put the ramekins on the paper towel.
• to make a water bath pour look warm water into pan until about halfway up the side of the ramekins.
• bake until set around edges but still a little loose in the very center (think jello), about 40 to 50 minutes.
• remove from oven and let cool in water bath chill for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
• when ready to serve, sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of superfine sugar over each custard.
• for best results use a hand held torch to melt and lightly brown sugar.
• rechill custard for a few minutes before serving.
• if you do not have a torch place under a broiler until sugar melts.