Rose Creme Brulee and Pistachio Cupcakes

I have come to notice that a lot of men like creme brulee but they don't like afternoon tea. In my attempt to tempt men to the table at 3pm for a spot of tea and cake I rustled up these sophisticated and gentle'manly' cupcakes.

For the creme brulee, you will need:

• 300ml double cream
• 75 ml of full fat milk
• 5 egg yolks
• 3 tbsp of caster sugar
• A few drops of rose extract or rosewater
• Demerera sugar for the top

Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Put the cream and milk into a pan and heat to boiling point. Add a few drops, to taste, of the rose flavouring, cover and leave to infuse for 10 mins. Meanwhile whisk the egg yolks and 3 tbsp of sugar together until pale and thick. Pour the boiling cream onto the mixture. Stir well, then pour into a square tin. Place the tin in a bain marie and cook in the oven for about 20 mins or until just set. Leave to cool. Once cooled divide into equal portions for the number of cupcakes you have to be topped. Baking your brulee in a square tin makes this part easier.

For 12 cupcakes, you will need:

• 140g butter
• 140g caster sugar
• 140g self-raising flour
• 2 eggs
• 100g pistachios

Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with cases. Put all the pistachios into a food processor with about half the sugar, then whizz until very finely chopped. Tip into a large mixing bowl with the remaining sugar, butter, eggs, flour and milk and beat until smooth. Divide between cases, then bake on a low shelf for 22-25 mins until a skewer poked in comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

 

 

My cupcake cases are a little smaller than usual so I managed 16 cupcakes. You may notice that there are only 14 in the picture above but that’s because I tasted a couple to make sure they were good enough for the next bit. Scoop each allocated section of brulee on top of each and spread.

Now for the fun part, blowtorch at the ready and your demerera sugar. Sprinkle the topped cakes with the sugar then melt with the blowtorch till it caramelises. Don’t be afraid of a little charring, it adds to the gorgeous smoky flavour. When still molten drop a few pistachios on top if you have any left.