Pistachio Cupcakes

• Produce

  • 12 Cherries, fresh

• Refrigerated

  • 2 Eggs, large

• Baking & Spices

  • 100 g (all purpose flour, plain
  • 1 tsp Baking powder, level
  • 100 g Caster sugar
  • 1 Gel food colouring, green
  • 3 tbsp Icing
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract

• Nuts & Seeds

  • 60 g Pistachio nuts, ground
  • 1 Pistachio nuts, ground

• Dairy

  • 100 g Butter
  • 250 g Mascarpone cheese
  • 2 tbsp Milk

• Other

  • 400ml double (heavy cream

Found on littlesugarsnaps.com

Ingredients

• 100g/ 3 1/2oz caster sugar
• 100g/ 3 1/2oz butter - softened
• 100g/ 3 1/2oz plain (all purpose) flour
• 1 tsp (level) baking powder
• 60g/ 2oz ground pistachio nuts
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp milk
• green gel food colouring (optional)
• 250g Mascarpone Cheese
• 400ml double (heavy) cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp icing (confectioners) sugar - sieved
• Chopped/ ground pistachio nuts
• 12 fresh cherries (optional)

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 170°C/ 325°F/ GM3 and line a 12-cup cupcake/muffin pan with cupcake liners
• Sieve the flour and baking powder into a small bowl. Add the ground pistachio nuts and stir briefly to combine
• In a large bowl beat the sugar and butter together until pale and fluffy
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition
• Beat in the milk and a little green colouring (if using) with a spoonful of the flour mixture
• Mix in the remaining flour mix
• Divide between 12 baking cases
• Bake for 17-20 minutes until well risen and a cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out clean
• Allow to cool completely
• Beat the mascarpone cheese until smooth
• Add the double cream, vanilla extract and the icing sugar and beat again until the icing holds a firm, but gentle peak
• Spoon into a piping bag and pipe the cream onto the cupcakes using a 1 cm star nozzle
• Scatter a few chopped pistachios on top and garnish with a cherry