Boston cream pie cupcakes.

As a kid living up in Massachusetts, I used to go to Dunkin' Donuts with my parents on Saturday mornings. Every week without fail, I would go for the official state doughnut - the Boston Cream. Nothing quite like the combination of cream and chocolate.

Last Sunday, in lieu of our traditional Easter bunny cake, the fam snacked on Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes instead. Recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated.

Ingredients:

Cream

• 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• pinch of salt
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into 2 pieces
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cupcakes

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoons table salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 sticks softened unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cups milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Glaze - More like a frosting!

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips, melted
• 3 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps after the jump!

Steps:

Cream

1. In a medium saucepan, bring heavy cream to a simmer over medium heat. Stir occasionally.
2. Whisk the yolks, sugar & salt together in a medium bowl.
3. Add the cornstarch to the sugar mixture and whisk until pale and yellow.
4. Once the cream reaches a full simmer, slowly whisk in the sugar mixture.
5. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thick with a slight gloss.
6. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla.
7. Transfer the finished cream to a clean container and cover with plastic wrap pressed against the cream's surface.
8. Refrigerate until fully set (about 2 hours).

Cupcakes

1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 350 degrees.
2. Grease muffin tin with butter and set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
4. Using a mixer, add in the butter - 1 piece at a time. Combine until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
5. Follow by adding the eggs - 1 at time, add mix until fully combined.
6. Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla increasing the speed to medium. Mix until the batter is light, fluffy and free of lumps.
7. Fill each cup of the prepared muffin tin about 3/4 of the way. Don't overfill!
8. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.

Glaze

1. In a small saucepan, cook the cream, corn syrup, chocolate, and vanilla over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth.
2. Remove from heat and slowly mix in the confectioner's sugar. Blend to remove any lumps.
3. Set for 30 minutes.

Assembly

1. Take a small knife and remove a cone of cake from the top of each cupcake. Cut away all but the top 1/4 inch of the cone. You only need a little cake cap!
2. Fill each cone with cream and top with the cake cap.
3. Smear the top of each cupcake with the glaze-like frosting.
4. Consume!