National Cupcake Week 2018
Bakers at the ready! National Cupcake Week returns to the UK from 18-24 September 2018. To celebrate the occasion, Royal Lancaster London will be serving up an exclusive cupcake-creation from Head Pastry Chef Steve Penny: Dark Chocolate and Dulcey de Leche Cupcakes.
The indulgent treat will be served in the hotel’s Hyde Lobby Bar throughout the week and is priced at £3 per cupcake. Steve Penny shares his recipe for a twist on a classic that’s sure to be the icing on top of a sweet week.
Dark Chocolate and Dulcey de Leche Cupcake by Steve Penny
Ingredients (10-12 cupcakes):
250g Softened butter
150g Caster sugar
100g Light brown sugar
250g Eggs
20ml Milk
250g Self-raising flour
30g Cocoa powder
20g Cocoa nibs
2 cans Condensed milk
100g Dulcey de leche
Valrhona Dulcey pearls
Chocolate Butter Cream:
50g Dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)
100g Unsalted butter, softened
200g Icing sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Splash of Milk (to loosen)
Method
To make the Dulcey de Leche:
Step 1: Take two cans of condensed milk and place them unopened in a bain-marie in the oven. Set the oven temperature to 120 degrees for around 2-3 hours. Be careful when opening the cans as they will remain hot for a long time!
To make Chocolate Butter Cream:
Step 1: Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Allow to cool until the chocolate no longer feels hot to the touch.
Step 2: Beat the butter in a second bowl until soft then gradually add the icing sugar. Add the vanilla extract and beat again.
Step 3: Add the melted chocolate to the butter mixture until completely mixed, you can add a few drops of milk if the mixture is a little stiff.
To make the Cupcakes:
Step 1: In a bowl mix together the flour, cocoa and cocoa nibs.
Step 2: Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.
Step 3: Slowly add the milk, eggs and lastly the dried ingredients (flour, cocoa and cocoa nibs). Fold in the Dulcey de Leche into the mix.
Step 4: Fill 10-12 muffin tins. Don’t fill to the top, only ¾ of the cases should be full!
Step 5: Bake at 180 degrees for approximately 15-20 minutes (or until a knife inserted into one of the cakes comes out clean) and allow to cool.
Step 6: Once cool, carefully make a hole in the top of the cakes using a teaspoon and pipe in the dulcey de leche. Top with a spread of the milk chocolate butter cream to give a smooth velvety finish.
Step 7: Sprinkle Valrhona Dulcey pearls and drizzle more chocolate on top just for luck!
Royal Lancaster London, Lancaster Terrace, London W2 2TY
Reservations on 020 7551 6000 or visit wwww.royallancaster.com