Boston Cream Cupcakes

I also made Boston cream cupcakes today for Matt to take to work tomorrow. I really want to try one, but it would look weird to send him with only 11 cupcakes so I will hold back. I did eat some of the extra pastry cream and ganache, so I guess that's close enough.

The recipe below is adapted from Cook's Country magazine. I did not care for the magazine's recipe for yellow cupcakes, so I substituted a different one; however, I did stick with the recipes for pastry cream and chocolate glaze as published.
BOSTON CREAM CUPCAKES
Adapted from Cooks Country Magazine - June/July 2006

YIELD - 12

PASTRY CREAM
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

CUPCAKES
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
4 egg yolks
6 tablespoons milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

CHOCOLATE GLAZE
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup light corn syrup
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
1. For the pastry cream: Heat cream in medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt together in medium bowl. Add cornstarch and whisk until mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 15 seconds.

2. When cream reaches full simmer, slowly whisk it into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Off heat, whisk in butter and vanilla. Transfer pastry cream to small bowl, press plastic wrap directly on surface, and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

3. For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 12-cup muffin tin. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin.

5. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly tapped. Cool 10 minutes before removing to cooling racks.

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

7. To assemble cupcakes: Insert the tip of a small knife at a 45-degree angle about 1/8 inch from the edge of the 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 the cupcake with 2 tablespoons pastry cream and top with the disk of cake. Set the filled cupcakes on a wire rack set over parchment paper. Spoon 2 tablespoons of glaze over each cupcake, allowing it to drip down the sides.

8. Refrigerate until just set, about 10 minutes. Cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before serving.