Hokkaido Chiffon Cupcakes

Hokkaido Chiffon Cupcakes are very different from the regular cupcakes you usually bake. Chiffon cupcakes are very soft and fluffy. But when they cool down, they would shrink. But it doesn’t matter because you could squeeze in Vanilla Custard Whipped Cream into the cupcakes with a pastry bag. Try and make it sometimes and I bet you can’t resist it. Before you know it, all the cupcakes are gone.

Ingredients: Recipe good for 24-25 cupcakes
(Egg Yolk Batter)

• 6 egg yolks
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 80ml cooking oil
• 80ml milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

(Meringue)

• 6 egg whites
• 2/5 cup granulated sugar

(Vanilla Custard Cream)

• 4 tbsp. cake flour
• 4 tbsp. corn starch
• 80g  granulated sugar
• 400ml milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 30g (1oz.) butter
• a few drops of vanilla extract

(Whipped Cream)

• 200ml heavy whipping cream (fresh cream) *chilled
• 2 tbsp. granulated sugar

(Finishing Touch)

• powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar)

Directions:
(Chiffon Cupcake)

1. First, separate the egg yolk and egg white into two separate large bowls.
2. Add sugar into the bowl with egg yolks. Beat them with an electric mixer until white like mayonnaise. Add cooking oil and milk, then mix well with an electric mixer. Sift in the all-purpose flour and mix well with a whisk.
3. Next, make the meringue, whip egg whites and half of the granulated sugar with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Then add the rest of the granulated sugar and whip them until firm peaks form. *If it’s thick enough, you can turn the bowl upside down without it sliding out.
4. Then you add 1/3 of the Meringue into the Egg Yolk Batter and blend well with a whisk. Then add the rest of the Meringue 1/2 at a time and mix well with a spatula. Preheat the oven to 170C (338F). Spoon the mixture into the cups up to 70% full. Bake cupcake cups for 15-20 minutes. When they are done, place them on a wire rack and leave to cool.

(Vanilla Custard Cream)

1. Place flour, corn starch, and granulated sugar in a bowl, then mix well with a whisk. Add a bit of milk and mix well. Then add the rest and mix well again. Add egg yolks and mix well. Strain the mixture with a strainer and transfer to a saucepan. Add butter, put on low heat, stir constantly, and stop the heat when the cream starts to thicken. Mix well with the remaining heat. Add a few drops of vanilla extract to finish. Leave to cool or put in the fridge to cool completely.

(Whipped Cream)

1. Combine fresh cream and granulated sugar into a dry, clean bowl. Float the bottom of the bowl in ice water, whisk the cream until it forms a stiff peak.

(Finishing Touch)

1. Add the Whipped Cream into the Vanilla Custard Cream 1/3 at a time and mix well with a whisk. Fit a pastry bag with a small round tip, and fill up with the cream. Pipe the cream into the chiffon cupcakes and dust with powdered sugar.