Branching Out: Cupcakes: America’s Latest Dessert Obsession

Vanilla Cupcakes

Directions:

1. Sift all dry ingredients together and place in the mixer with a paddle.
2. Slowly add the milk(1) and PreGel Vanilla Mexico Superior Traditional Paste while mixing on low speed, then mix on medium speed for five minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, mix egg whites, eggs and milk(2), then add this liquid mixture to the batter in three additions.
4. Remove from mixer and scoop batter into desired cupcake molds, filling about halfway.
5. At this point, customize the cupcakes using the provided variations.
6. Bake at 325°F until done.

Yield: approx. 50 cupcakes

Cupcake Variations:

• Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake: Mix PreGel Fragolissima Arabeschi® (Whole Strawberries) with a little bit of flour. Measure 28g of Strawberry mix, add to each cupcake and swirl.
• Blueberry Bliss Cupcake: Mix a small amount of flour and PreGel Bilberry Fortefrutto® (European Blueberries). Measure 20g of the Bilberry mix, place in the center of each cupcake and swirl.
• Coconut Dream Cupcake: Mix PreGel Coconut Traditional Paste with pastry flour to break up the crumbs. Fold in 85g of the coconut mix for every 350g of cupcake batter.
• Boston Cream Pie Cupcake: After baking each white cupcake and cooling, fill with 15g of pastry cream (recipe below).

Pastry Cream Superior (Cold Process)

Directions:

1. Whisk 5-Star Chef Pastry Select Pastry Cream Superior (Cold Process) powder into cold milk until all powder is dissolved and mixture is uniform.
2. Allow to set in refrigerator.
3. Before use, hand whisk pastry cream to result in a smooth texture.

Buttercream

Directions:

1. Prepare meringue as per instructions below.
2. Soften butter in a mixer using a paddle.
3. Add butter to 15 ounces of meringue in small additions while mixing.
4. Mix until evenly incorporated. Used as needed.

Buttercream Variations

• Strawberry Buttercream for Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake: Mix 28g of PreGel Fragolissima Arabeschi® (Whole Strawberries) to 250g of buttercream.
• Orange Buttercream for Blueberry Bliss Cupcake: Mix 15g (to taste) PreGel Orange Fortefrutto® to 250g of buttercream.
• Coconut Buttercream for Coconut Dream Cupcake: Mix 95g of PreGel Coconut Traditional Paste to 250g of buttercream.
• Chocolate Buttercream for Boston Cream Pie Cupcake: Place 255g of PreGel Cacaopat Traditional Paste (Chocolate – Unsweet) in microwave to soften, then incorporate into 250g buttercream.

Meringue

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl fitted with a whip attachment, add sugar and water.
2. Whip until sugar is dissolved. Add PreGel Albumissimo (Egg White Base) and whip until stiff peaks are obtained.