Yuzu is a tart and fragrant citrus fruit that has been a mainstay on dessert menus. I see it often paired with white chocolate which was the route I decided to go. I know not everyone loves white chocolate, (“It’s not chocolate!” “It’s too sweet!”) but I disagree. I love a good white chocolate. The yuzu and white chocolate combination is tasty and just adult enough. I went with a white chocolate whipped cream which is a light alternative to buttercream so the end result is not too sweet. Enjoy!
White Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
~18 regular-sized cupcakes / 350 degree oven
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, room temperature
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean
4 large egg whites
1. Beat butter on high until soft, about 30 seconds.
2. Add sugar. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
4. Measure out milk and vanilla and mix together. Add the seeds scraped out of 1/2 of a vanilla bean.
5. Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and beat to combine. Add about a half of the milk and beat to combine. Continue adding, alternating between dry and wet and finishing with the dry.
6. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until firm. Fold egg whites gently into the batter until you can see no more streaks.
7. Scoop into cupcake papers about half full. Don’t overfill.
8. Place cupcakes in the oven and turn the oven down to 350 degrees. Bake for 20-22 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.
Note: These cupcake will rise some and then shrink back a bit. If you are using regular cupcake papers, the paper shrinks with them. With the firmer cupcake papers I use, they pull from the side. I don’t worry about it too much as it’s not obvious once the frosting is on top.
White Chocolate Whipped Cream from Gourmet Productions
2 cups heavy cream
9 ounces white chocolate, I used Green & Blacks
1 vanilla bean
1. Pour heavy cream into a medium sized bowl and warm over a bain marie (water bath).
2. Split the vanilla bean and add it to the cream.
3. Chop the chocolate and add it to the cream once its steaming. Whisk to melt chocolate.
4. Once smooth remove from the water bath and chill until cold in the refrigerator. Whisk occasionally so a film doesn’t form on top.
5. Whip with a whisk attachment on high speed until for about 3 minutes until it’s frosting consistency.
Assemble
1. Fill the cooled cupcakes using the cone method with yuzu marmalade.
2. Frost.
3. Garnish with what you have on hand. I had some chia seed!
