Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prepare the Mascarpone White Chocolate Frosting
- Melt the White Chocolate: Break the white chocolate into small pieces and place them in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan containing a small amount of water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Heat over medium heat, stirring regularly with a spatula until the chocolate is almost completely melted. Remove the bowl from the heat and allow the remaining pieces to melt in the residual heat.
- Cool the Chocolate: Leave the melted white chocolate to cool for 4–5 minutes before combining it with the mascarpone.
- Soften the Mascarpone: Place the mascarpone in a mixing bowl and briefly stir it with a metal spoon until softened. Avoid excessive mixing.
- Combine the Frosting: Pour the cooled melted white chocolate into the mascarpone. Mix until thoroughly combined and smooth.
- Chill Until Firm: Cover the frosting and refrigerate for approximately 2 hours, allowing it to firm up enough for piping.
Make the Blackberry Pear Jam
- Prepare the Fruit: Peel, core, and chop the pears. Clean the blackberries, reserving 8 whole berries for decorating the finished cupcakes.
- Combine the Jam Ingredients: Place the chopped pears in a suitably sized saucepan. Add the remaining blackberries, sugar, and water.
- Cook the Fruit: Set the saucepan over medium heat. Stir regularly as the mixture heats, helping the sugar dissolve and the fruit soften.
- Add the Lemon Juice: Pour in the juice of one lemon and stir well to distribute it throughout the fruit mixture.
- Reduce the Jam: Continue cooking, stirring regularly, until the mixture begins to reduce and thicken slightly.
- Reserve the Coulis: Remove 2–3 tablespoons of the liquid from the partially thickened jam. Transfer it to a small bowl and set aside to cool for decorating the cupcakes.
- Prepare the Jam Test: Place a small tea plate in the refrigerator until cold. Spoon a little hot jam onto the chilled plate, then return the plate to the refrigerator for a couple of minutes. Turn off the heat beneath the saucepan while testing.
- Check the Setting Point: Remove the plate from the refrigerator and gently run your little finger through the jam. If the surface wrinkles, the jam is ready. If it does not wrinkle, return the saucepan to the heat, boil the jam for a couple more minutes, and repeat the test.
- Cool the Jam: Transfer the finished jam to a clean bowl and leave it to cool completely before filling the cupcakes.
Bake the Cupcakes
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas mark 5. Place 8 muffin-sized cupcake cases into the muffin tin.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar: Put the softened butter and golden caster sugar into a large mixing bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon or electric beaters until the mixture becomes very pale and fluffy.
- Add the Vanilla: Add the vanilla extract and the salt mentioned in the original method, then beat again until combined. Note that salt appears in the method but is not listed in the original ingredient list, so its quantity is unspecified.
- Incorporate the Eggs: Gradually add the lightly beaten eggs, a little at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. This gradual process helps the mixture combine evenly.
- Fold in the Flour: Sift the self-raising flour into the bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of milk and gently fold everything together using a spatula or large metal spoon until the flour is incorporated.
- Adjust the Batter Consistency: Check that the batter has a soft dropping consistency. If it seems too stiff, add a little more milk, using up to 2 tablespoons in total.
- Fill the Cupcake Cases: Divide the batter evenly among the 8 cupcake cases, filling each approximately halfway to two-thirds full.
- Bake Until Risen: Place the muffin tin on the centre shelf of the preheated oven and bake for 20–23 minutes. If necessary, rotate the tray after 15 minutes to help the cupcakes bake evenly.
- Cool the Cupcakes: Once baked, remove the tin from the oven. Take the cupcakes out of the tin and transfer them to a cooling rack. Leave them until completely cool before filling and decorating.
Fill and Decorate the Cupcakes
- Remove the Cupcake Centres: Once the cupcakes and jam are completely cool, use a small paring knife to cut a cone-shaped piece from the top of each cupcake. Alternatively, twist the wide end of a large metal piping nozzle into the sponge to remove a small plug. If needed, use the tines of a fork to remove a little more sponge from the centre.
- Add the Fruit Filling: Spoon 1–2 teaspoons of blackberry and pear jam into each hollow. Avoid overfilling, leaving enough room for the cupcake top and frosting.
- Prepare the Piping Bag: Fit a large star nozzle into a piping bag and fill the bag halfway with the chilled mascarpone and white chocolate frosting. Keeping the bag only partially filled makes it easier to control the piping.
- Pipe the Frosting: Pipe a generous swirl of frosting over each cupcake. Refill the piping bag as necessary until all 8 cupcakes are decorated.
- Finish with Blackberries: Place one of the reserved fresh blackberries on top of each frosting swirl.
- Drizzle with Coulis: Finish each cupcake with a small drizzle of the reserved blackberry coulis. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
-
Egg Measurements: For a more balanced cupcake batter, weigh the cracked eggs before mixing. Ideally, the butter, sugar, flour, and eggs should have equal weights. The original recipe lists 125 g each of butter, sugar, and flour, so adjust only if you choose to follow the egg-weight method.
-
Prevent Curdling: If the beaten eggs feel particularly cold, gently warm them over a bain-marie until lukewarm before adding them to the creamed butter and sugar.
-
Avoid Overmixing: Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then fold in the flour gently to help maintain a light sponge.
-
Check the Batter: The cupcake batter should fall softly from a spoon. Add the milk gradually, using up to 2 tablespoons as needed.
-
Test the Jam: Use the chilled-plate test to check whether the blackberry and pear jam has reached its setting point. The surface should wrinkle when gently pushed.
-
Prepare the Frosting Ahead: The mascarpone and white chocolate frosting needs approximately 2 hours in the refrigerator to firm up, so allow sufficient time before decorating.
-
Cool Before Filling: Ensure the cupcakes and jam are completely cool before assembling to prevent the frosting from softening.
-
Use Store-Bought Jam: If preferred, substitute shop-bought blackberry jam. Loosen a small amount with a drop or two of water to create a drizzle for decoration.
-
Storage: Keep the finished cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator or a cool place for up to 3 days.
-
Freezing: These cupcakes are not suitable for freezing, according to the original recipe.