Tarek Malouf - The Hummingbird Bakery Home Sweet Home - 100 new recipes for baking brilliance

One Christmas we decided to mix things up and created this Italian biscuit-inspired recipe as an alternative to our Raspberry Trifle Cupcakes. You can put a tiny dash of amaretto liqueur onto the crushed biscuits if you want something boozier, but be careful not to get them too soggy.

MAKES 12–16 CUPCAKES

FOR THE SPONGE

70g (2½oz) UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED

210g (7½oz) PLAIN FLOUR

1 tbsp BAKING POWDER

½ tsp SALT

250g (9oz) CASTER SUGAR

210ml (7½fl oz) WHOLE MILK

2 LARGE EGGS

1 tsp VANILLA EXTRACT

150g (5½oz) BLUEBERRIES

FOR THE CUSTARD

330ml (11½fl oz) WHOLE MILK

3 LARGE EGG YOLKS

60g (2oz) CASTER SUGAR

20g (¾oz) PLAIN FLOUR

20g (¾oz) CORNFLOUR

150ml (5½fl oz) DOUBLE CREAM

FOR THE DECORATION

75g (2½oz) BLUEBERRIES

50g (1¾oz) AMARETTI BISCUITS, CRUSHED INTO CRUMBS

EQUIPMENT

ONE OR TWO 12-HOLE DEEP MUFFIN TINS

1. Preheat the oven to 170 °C (325°F), Gas mark 3, and line the muffin tins with paper muffin cases to make the number you require.

2. First make the sponge. In a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or using a hand-held electric whisk, mix the butter, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together until they form a crumb-like consistency.

3. In a jug, mix together the milk, eggs and vanilla extract by hand.

4. With the mixer or whisk on a slow speed, gradually pour half of the liquid into the crumb mixture and mix thoroughly until combined. Turn up the speed to medium and beat until the batter is smooth and thick, with no lumps. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Once all the lumps have been beaten out, turn the speed back down and gradually pour in the remaining liquid from the jug, continuing to mix until the batter is smooth and completely combined. Stir the blueberries into the cake batter by hand.

5. Spoon the batter into the prepared paper cases, filling them two-thirds full. Using a 50ml (1¾fl oz) ice-cream scoop can make this process easier and will result in even cupcakes.

6. Bake for approximately 20–25 minutes or until golden brown and the sponge bounces back when lightly touched. The blueberries will sink into the sponge – this is normal. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

7. While the cakes are in the oven, make the custard. Place the milk in a saucepan and bring to the boil. In a bowl, mix together the egg yolks, sugar, flour and cornflour to make a paste, adding 1 tablespoon of the hot milk to thin if necessary.

8. When the milk has boiled, remove the pan from the heat and mix 4–5 tablespoons with the egg and flour paste, then pour this back into the pan with the remaining hot milk and return to the heat.

9. Bring back up to the boil, whisking constantly, and continue to boil for a further 3–4 minutes to ensure the flour and cornflour are fully cooked. However, be careful not to overcook or the eggs may begin to scramble. Remove from the heat and immediately pour the custard into a baking tray. Cover straight away with cling film and set aside to cool completely.

10. To finish the custard, pour the double cream into a medium bowl. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the whisk attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, beat the cream until it forms soft peaks. Place the cooled custard into a medium bowl. Using the mixer or whisk, on a slow speed mix the custard until it is smooth. Using a spatula, gradually fold the whipped cream into the custard.

11. Spoon generous amounts of the custard onto each cupcake, then gently smooth over with a palette knife, making a swirl at the top if you wish. Top each cupcake with 3–4 blueberries and a sprinkling of amaretti biscuit crumbs.

This recipe is fantastic for those with a little more time to spare. We like to make the little biscuit decorations for the top, but you can use shop-bought mini Jammie Dodgers or other jam-filled shortbread biscuits.

MAKES 12–16 CUPCAKES

FOR THE COOKIES

100g (3½oz) UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED

140g (5oz) CASTER SUGAR

1 EGG

200g (7oz) PLAIN FLOUR, PLUS EXTRA FOR DUSTING

¼ tsp CREAM OF TARTAR

FOR THE SPONGE

70g (2½oz) UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED

210g (7½oz) PLAIN FLOUR

250g (9oz) CASTER SUGAR

1 tbsp BAKING POWDER

½ tsp SALT

210ml (7½fl oz) WHOLE MILK

2 LARGE EGGS

1 tsp VANILLA EXTRACT

FOR THE FROSTING

660g (1lb 7oz) ICING SUGAR, SIFTED

210g (7½oz) UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED

60ml (2fl oz) WHOLE MILK

½ tsp VANILLA EXTRACT

FOR THE DECORATION

100g (3½oz) SMOOTH STRAWBERRY JAM

EQUIPMENT

3½cm (1½in) ROUND, FLUTED COOKIE CUTTER

1cm (½in) PIPING NOZZLE

2 PIPING BAGS

ONE OR TWO 12-HOLE DEEP MUFFIN TINS

1. Preheat the oven to 170 °C (325°F), Gas mark 3, and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

2. To make the cookies, put the butter and sugar in a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or use a hand-held electric whisk and cream until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until fully incorporated.

3. In a small bowl, sift the flour and cream of tartar together. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture. Mix on a slow speed until a dough forms. Don’t overmix.

4. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 3–4mm (⅛in) thick. Using the cookie cutter, cut out 32 (or more) cookies. Then use the piping nozzle or a small sharp knife to make smaller holes in the centres of half the cookies (these will be the cookie tops). Carefully place them all on the prepared baking tray. Any excess dough can be made into more cookies or frozen and used again at a later stage.

5. Bake the cookies for approximately 10–13 minutes or until they start to go a golden brown around the edges. Set aside to cool completely for later use. Leave the oven turned to 170 °C (325°F), Gas mark 3.

6. Meanwhile make the sponge. Line the muffin tins with paper muffin cases to make the number you require. In a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or using a hand-held electric whisk, mix the butter, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together until they form a crumb-like consistency.

7. In a jug, mix together the milk, eggs and vanilla extract by hand.

8. With the mixer or whisk on a slow speed, gradually pour in half of the liquid and mix thoroughly until combined. Raise the speed to medium and mix until the batter is smooth and thick, with no lumps. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Once any lumps are gone, turn the speed back down and gradually pour in the remaining liquid, continuing to mix until the batter is smooth and combined.

9. Spoon the batter into the prepared paper cases, filling them two-thirds full. Using a 50ml (1¾fl oz) ice-cream scoop can make this process easier and will result in even cupcakes.

10. Bake for approximately 20–25 minutes or until the cupcakes are golden brown and the sponge bounces back when lightly touched. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.