I’ve enjoyed St. Patrick’s Day parades since I was a little girl; I finally asked myself what is the symbolic meaning of the shamrock along with the color green? Oddly,  I never put much thought into the symbols prior to today. From the research I’ve done: “St. Patrick was 16 when Irish marauders raided his village on the British mainland. He was sold into slavery and, later, became a Christian. He studied in a monastery in Gaul and was called to preach the gospel in Ireland, where he was appointed the second bishop of that nation.He converted thousands to the faith and set up schools and monasteries, enabling him to convert Ireland to Christianity. He popularized the shamrock as the symbol of the Catholic faith. Legend has it that he drove the snakes out of Ireland. He died on March 17, 461. So this is a celebration of death and life.”

So here is tasty treat we created to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with friends!

Crème De Menthe Cupcakes with a Fondant Covering

Cupcakes:

180 grams/1 ½-cups of all-purpose flour

150grams/1 ½-cups of cake flour

9 grams/2-teaspoon baking powder

1-teaspoon salt

226 grams/1-cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2-teaspoons

1 1/2-teaspoons crème De Menthe (or mint extract)

400 grams/ 2-cups sugar

1-teaspoon lemon zest

4-large eggs, at room temperature

244 grams/1-cup milk

1-teaspoon vanilla extract

2-teaspoon lemon zest

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and Line 2 (1/2 cup-12 capacity) muffin tins with cupcake papers.

Prepare your mise en place and  in a small bowl, sift the flours, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

 In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and vanilla bean until smooth.

Slowly add zest and the sugar, beating until fluffy, about 3 1/2 minutes.

Add the eggs, 1 at a time, incorporating well after each egg,

 After each egg, turn the standing mixer off and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the dry ingredients, beginning and ending with flour.

With each addition, beat (on low speed) until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat or the cupcakes will be tough.

Remove the bowl from the stranding mixer, scrape down the batter on the sides and fold batter making sure the ingredients are well blended.

Using an ice cream scoop , scoop the batter into the cupcake liners, leaving about 10 cm/ 1/4-inch from the top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed in the center.

Cool the cupcakes in tins for 5 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.

Fondant Cover and Shamrock: 

235 grams marzipan, kneaded

Vodka simple syrup or apricot preserves heated

380 grams white fondant, knead and colored green

Green food paste

Yellow food paste

Fondant roller, medium and small

Shamrock mold

Pastry brush

Toothpicks

Professional food dust, we used green, dark green, and gold

Artist brushed

 Round cutter, in various sizes

Edible glue

Brush each cooled cupcake with the simple syrup (or preserves) and cover with a 10 cm/4- inch round of marzipan. Allow the marzipan to dry over night. Brush each marzipan covered cupcakes with the simple syrup. Gently smooth a 10 cm/ 4-inch round disk of prepare fondant. To achieve the correct green add about 1/4-inch dipped toothpick of green food paste, knead using gloves. Add more green colored if needed using the same method.  For detailed instruction go to Ribbon and Roses

Prepare your mise place.

Roll a 31 mm/ 1-1/4 inch ball of fondant; place the ball on the shamrock mold.

Using a small fondant roller, roll the ball flat on the mold.

Dust the shamrock with professional food dust. Using a round cutter sightly larger than the shamrock cut the disk medallion.

 The Crème De Menthe is a subtle background flavor, that will delight your guests and they will wondering what secret flavor you used.