Himalayan Pink Salt Cupcakes

Never. Never ever underestimate the power of a good chocolate cupcake.

Apparently I did. 

So when I posted this set of pictures on the internet, I didn't realize it will create such a buzz! Wow!

I came across Fleur de Sel cupcakes when I was searching for unique cupcake recipes from scratch and found an interesting one from Tasty Kitchen. The name intrigued me but actually it's quite simple, a chocolate base, a caramel filling, a chocolate frosting and a sprinkle of sea salt on top. Hmmm... I know I wan't to make my own version.

When I  made the Fleur de Sel cupcakes, I knew three things. I love the cake, I love the ganache but the caramel filling inside was not that good. The caramel I made was a bit bland. As you can see on the picture above, it was just too pale for my liking. 

So I decided to do a recake and used Himalayan Pink Salt instead of Fleur de Sel. And ta-daah!! These cupcakes were born! 

Now, let's break down how to make cupcakes to parts. The ganache, the cake and the filling.

Himalayan Pink Salt Cupcakes

First up the Ganache. Very basic, just two things. 

Ingredients:

1 can Nestle Cream

400 grams dark chocolate

Here's how

(1) Chop chocolate and transfer into a bowl.

(2) Heat cream (in the can, there will be a liquid at the bottom, don't include that, just the cream) until it simmers (do not allow it to boil), pour cream over the chocolate. 

(3) Let sit for one minute then stir until combined.

(4) Let it cool in the fridge. From time to time, mix it well to cool it evenly to a piping consistency. Note that we won't we whipping up this one. Just cool it.

Second, the chocolate cupcakes. Of course I'm going to use this chocolate recipe. :) Now is the perfect time to bake it :)

Then the caramel filling. This time, I used Smitten Kitchen's recipe and I tell you, best 
I have ever tasted.



Caramel Pudding
adapated from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk
6 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoon water
3 1/2 cups milk

Here's How:
(1) Combime 1/2 cup milk, vanilla and cornstarch. Mix well until well combined. Set aside.

(2) In a saucepan, combine sugar and water. Cook over moderate heat. 

(3) Now, I used flash for the next pictures so you can see how the color changes. Caramel is very moody. There's a thin line between a good caramel and a burnt caramel. You need to keep your eyes open and your senses alert. Now it starts to boil. Action is starting! This step will happen in about 8 minutes.

Changing color very slightly...

Now it's in the color we want it, golden brown. It's as caramel as caramel can get.

(4) When it's achieved the color we want, remove from heat and add the 3 1/2 cups milk. The sugar will seize but don't be disappointed. Continue cooking and the sugar will melt into the milk. Cook for another 10 minutes.

(5) Gradually whisk the cornstarch mixture into the milk mixture. Cook again over moderate heat, stirring, until the pudding thickens, about one minute. Strain and transfer to a bowl. Let cool for a while. If you don't want a skin on top, cover it with a plastic wrap. Not me, too lazy. 

Okay, by now we've got the ganache, the cupcakes, the filling. Line them all up. Make sure to have the Himalayan Pink Salt on hand.

In the case of fillings, to make things less messy, use an apple corer to make a hole in the center.

Using a piping bag, fill up the cupcake with the yummy caramel.

Then pipe the ganache on top.

Lastly,  sprinkle with salt on top. 

Best eaten the day after. But since I can't wait, it's best eaten freshly made too :)