I don't know why it took so long for me to schedule these marvelous little desserts, but now that I've made them once, I'll certainly make them again.
While they weren't on the Q&E list, and they do have three components, nothing was particularly difficult. They're also impressive and everyone loves them--although it's probably not a good idea to advertise the half-pound of butter. People are funny about butter.
The little orange cupcakes are good in themselves, which is helpful, since you'll have leftovers if you make the whole recipe.
Fresh orange juice and orange peel give them a definite orange flavor that holds its own with the other two components.
The cupcakes are made with oil and meringue, so they're lighter, moister, and spongier than regular butter cupcakes. But they don't get soggy when they're sandwiched between the other two layers of this dessert.
Next comes the Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream Sauce. Why such a plain name for this sauce?
I think that if the cream cheese frosting deserves a name like Dreamy Creamy Frosting, this filling should be called something like Shazam! Sauce. It definitely deserves something snazzy. 6 egg yolks and 2 1/2 cups of cream. (Don't mention this to your guests either--people are as funny about cream as they are about butter. Really. You'd think that everyone was scared by a cow at an impressionable age).
Again, the sauce isn't difficult, although there's always the possibility of curdled eggs when you're mixing hot ingredients with egg yolks. Just do it gradually, and all will be well.
Finally, the coup de maitre--the spectacular and spectacularly easy chocolate glaze. You put a bunch of butter (8 ounces) and a bunch of dark chocolate (also 8 ounces) in the microwave, and whisk them until they're combined. Since the amounts are the same, you can easily make the amounts smaller or larger, as your heart desires.
The fun part: composing them. I have some 8-ounce Irish Coffee glasses, which were perfect, except that they were a little too big (6- to 7-ounce glasses are recommended). According to the photograph, it looks like the glasses should be filled about two-thirds full with the Shazam! Pastry Cream, but I divided mine among eight glasses, and got only about one-third to one-half.
Then the cupcake, bottom side up, is tenderly squished atop the cream.
The photo indicates that the cupcake top (bottom) should sit jauntily above the rim of the glass. Mine didn't, but who cares because nobody knew what the picture looked like except me. Finally, chocolate glaze is lavishly poured on top of the cupcake. A deconstructed Boston Cream Pie that's better than anything they ever served in Boston.
TASTING PANEL:
Doug: "Wonderful fancy dessert. I'm a sucker for Boston Cream Pie."
Mary: "I loved the three layers. What a great combination of cake, chocolate, and creamy custard."
Jim: "I really liked it. I'm sorry we didn't gather more people to enjoy it. Great orange flavor in the cake."
Karen: "I enjoyed the different flavors and different temperatures. It's a fun dessert, and the most fun was watching you pour the chocolate in the cup."
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