Beginning this Halloween and continuing on select Sundays into December, The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas will offer a new Sunday afternoon tea experience incorporating Texas-Style Holiday Cupcakes and seasonal hot beverages into the time-honored tradition of Afternoon Tea.
On Sunday October 31, November 28, and December 5, 12 and 19, 2010, the finger sandwiches and scones of traditional tea will be replaced by a festive spread of freshly-baked mini-cupcakes, all featuring authentic Texas flavors and colorful Texas icings with holiday toppings. Hot tea, coffee, chocolate and cider selections are included, while pink champagne will be offered as an optional accompaniment.
Priced at $28 per person, Cupcake Tea at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas will be presented in The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas Lobby Lounge at 2 and 4 p.m. on the designated holiday-season Sundays. Cupcake flavors will vary based on season, but menu highlights are scheduled to include Praline Pecan, Red Velvet, Peach Cobbler, Dr Pepper, and Don’t-Mess-With-Chocolate Cupcakes.
Texas Pecan Cupcake Recipe — from the pastry chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas:
Texas Pecan Sponge
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 cup Texas Pecans, toasted lightly
8 oz Unsalted Butter
2 tbsp Dark Corn Syrup
1 tbsp Pecan Oil
1 1/3 cup Cake Flour
2 ½ cup Corn Starch
1 tsp Baking Powder
4 Whole Eggs
In a food processor blend pecans and sugar until mealy. Cream butter and sugar pecan mixture together, and mix in syrup and oil, and then eggs slowly. Sift together flour, cornstarch and baking powder and stir into creamed mixture. Portion the batter into cups about ¾ full and bake at 350°F for 8-12 minutes. Allow to cool.
Coconut Creamy
1 cup Coconut Milk
1 cup Whole Milk
3 ½ tbsp Granulated Sugar
1 ½ tbsp Desiccated Coconut
2/3 cup Egg Yolks
1 tbsp Silver Sheet Gelatin, bloomed in cold water
4 oz Unsalted Butter
Bring coconut milk, while milk, and half sugar to a boil on the stove. Pour milk over yolks and sugar while whisking constantly to temper in hot dairy. Return to stove and cook until mixture evenly coats the back of a spoon. Remove from stove and stir in desiccated coconut and bloomed gelatin. Allow to cool covered. Once mixture has cooled to around 85°F blend in butter and reserve in fridge.
Cream Cheese Icing
21 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
7 oz Unsalted Butter, room temperature
2 cup Powdered Sugar
Blend cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Whip together with powdered sugar and reserve.
Assembly
Cut a small cone shape out of the top of the baked cupcake and save the top. Cut the base of the removed cone off leaving a flat disc to replace on the cake. Pipe a small amount of the coconut creamy into the center of the cupcake and replace the top. With a star tip pipe a rosette of cream cheese icing onto the top of the cupcake. Lightly sprinkle the top with some toasted shredded coconut. Enjoy.