Cardinales

Instructions

• 1 Prepare the custard: Start by making the custard. Heat the milk in a tall saucepan together with the zest of 1 lemon. In a bowl, gather the egg yolks and sugar and beat them until almost white, then add the cornstarch and mix to combine. Gradually pour in the hot milk, stirring continuously. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the custard thickens. Transfer it to a suitable container, cover with cling film making sure it adheres to the surface, and let it cool.
• 2 Prepare the cupcakes (bases and caps): In the meantime, prepare the cupcakes that will form the bases and the tops of the cardinales. In a bowl, whisk the eggs together with the sugar very well until the mixture becomes white and frothy. Add the oil and grated lemon zest and fold gently from the bottom up. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; then add to the batter in portions, alternating with the lukewarm milk. Always fold gently from the bottom up to avoid deflating the batter.
• 3 Bake: Pour the batter into paper cupcake liners that have been placed inside aluminum molds to help them maintain their shape. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 20 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and let them cool.
• 4 Prepare the Alchermes syrup: Pour water and sugar into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir well to dissolve the sugar, then turn off the heat and let the syrup cool. Only when it has cooled completely, add the Alchermes liqueur.
• 5 Assemble the cardinales: Using a knife, make a cone-shaped hole in the center of each cupcake and fill the hole with the custard. Dip the portion that was removed from the cupcakes in the Alchermes syrup, then place it back on the cupcake with the tip pointing upwards. Before serving, dust the cardinales with powdered sugar.