Sesame Chestnut Mountain Cupcakes (Chestnut Caramel Cake With Black Sesame Cream And Chestnut Cream Frosting With Black And White Sesame Chopsticks)
Serves: 6
Cierra Adams
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
49
Spice
56
Sweetness
55
Sourness
43
mins
Prep time (avg)
5
Difficulty
Ingredients:
1 tsp
Baking Soda1 tsp
Baking Powder1 tsp
Salt2
Eggs1 tsp
Vanilla Extract1.5 cups
Heavy Cream1 cup
Whole Milk1 tsp
Pure Vanilla Extract170 g
Tahini (about 1/2 cup)2 tbsps
Black Sesame (powder)2 tsps
White Vinegar3 cup
White Sesame Seed1 cup
Black Sesame SeedDirections:
1
Special equipment: A multi-opening or spaghetti-style piping tip, such as Ateco 234 (optional): an unlined copper pot, a digital-alarming candy thermometer Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2
Line a regular-size cupcake or muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners
3
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together, about 5 minutes
4
Meanwhile, combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl
5
Whisk together and set aside
6
Combine the eggs and vanilla in a small bowl
7
Scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl, and then add the vanilla and egg mixture, one egg at a time, with the mixer on low speed
8
Add the Caramel
9
Scrape down the sides of the bowl again, and then increase the speed to medium and combine thoroughly
10
With the mixer the lowest speed, add the flour mixture and the sour cream, alternating between the two, beginning and ending with the flour
11
Mix only until just combined, do not over-mix
12
Fill the cupcake liners with a 16-size ice cream scoop, or about half full, and bake until dark golden and baked through, about 15 minutes
13
Cool the cupcakes completely
14
To assemble: Core each cupcake using an apple corer
15
Fill each cupcake with the Black Sesame Pastry Cream and generously frost with the Chestnut Cream Frosting so that the frosting resembles a mountain of noodles
16
Top each cupcake with a pair of the Black and White Sesame Chopsticks
17
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan (or preferably an unlined copper pot), combine the sugar with 4 tablespoons water to moisten
18
Place over medium-high heat and, without stirring, cook until the sugar is dark amber in color
19
Meanwhile, place the cream in a saucepan over medium heat and warm to a simmer
20
Turn off the heat on the caramelized sugar and slowly add the warmed cream while stirring the caramel with a wooden spoon
21
Be careful as the mixture will splatter
22
Allow to thicken slightly over medium heat, about 5 minutes
23
Stir in the lemon juice if using
24
Cool completely
25
Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan
26
In a small bowl, whisk together the yolks with the sugar and cornstarch until smooth and well blended
27
While whisking, slowly pour in one-quarter of the milk into the yolk mixture to temper the yolks
28
Add the remainder of the milk, while whisking
29
Pour back into the saucepan and place on medium heat
30
Whisk vigorously and constantly until the mixture thickens
31
Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract
32
Allow to sit for 5 minutes
33
Whisk in the butter, piece by piece
34
Add the tahini and black sesame powder, and whisk to blend
35
Cool completely
36
Cream together the chestnut paste and chestnut puree in a food processor fitted with a metal blade until smooth
37
Add the softened butter, powdered sugar, rum and vanilla extract, and continue to process until well blended
38
If chunks remain, press the cream through a fine sieve to remove any large chestnut chunks
39
Place the cream in a piping bag with a "spaghetti" tip
40
Line a half sheet pan with a sheet of parchment paper
41
Coat the paper with cooking spray
42
Coat a wide spatula and a rolling pin with cooking spray
43
In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan or unlined copper pot, combine the sugar, vinegar and 1 teaspoon water
44
Cook over low heat until the sugar is melted and the mixture is thick
45
Stir a little
46
Cook until the sugar reaches 248 degrees F on a candy thermometer
47
At this point, add the sesame seeds to the sugar and stir well with a wooden spoon
48
Quickly scrape the mixture onto the parchment and spread evenly, first with the prepared spatula and next with the rolling pin
49
The desired thickness is about 1/16-inch thick
50
Cool at room temperature for about 10 minutes
51
Cut the candy into 12 chopstick shapes, each about 3 inches long, with the aid of a Chinese cleaver and a heavy pan
52
This technique makes cutting easier, even when the candy gets a bit hard
53
Let the candy cool completely