Naughty Crack Cupcakes

Dean is a very good friend.  Everyday after work, even though it is out his way, he drives me home.  It’s beyond thoughtful and beyond considerate; our daily discussions on the commute home are often hysterical and and always much needed.  Dean is essentially the big brother I have always wanted.

One day during Friday’s-fourth-floor-Chinese-food-lunch, I asked him what kind of cupcake he wanted for his birthday.  He said crack pie mixed with Irene’s naughty bars, the two best things he has eaten from us.

Hmmmmmmm, can a crack pie be converted into a cupcake and mashed with a naughty bar?  Yes. It. Can!  Here is living proof.  It’s not pretty, but it sure is tasty.

Basically these are mini crack pies with chocolate chips and salted caramel inside.  Besides burning them to a crisp, there is NO way for this to go wrong, no way.  I’ve thought about adding chocolate to crack pie before, because I love chocolate and I believe that is the only possible way to make crack pie better.

When I made nutella crack pie I was slightly disappointed, there just wasn’t enough chocolate, but a few simple chocolate chips is all crack pie really needs to take it to the next level.  And the little bits of salted caramel are perfection.

Not that crack pie needs to be improved, but this recipe does it.  Gooey, sweet, salty, chocolatey, and a bit of crunch in one decadent, rich dessert.  What else do you need in life?

One Year Ago: Lemon Bars

Print the Recipe!

Naughty Crack Pie
Adapted from Crack Pie
Yield – 14 cupcakes

Oat Cookie – for the crust
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
75 grams light brown sugar
40 grams sugar
1 egg yolk
80 grams flour
120 grams rolled oats, old fashioned type
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.
2. Beat together the butter and sugars for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.  Scrape down the bowl and add in the egg yolk, beat to combine for another 2 minutes or until the mixture is white.
3. Add the dry ingredients on low speed and beat until just combined.
4. Spread as thin as you can onto the parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Let cool completely.

Crust
Oat Cookie
15 grams light brown sugar
1 gram salt
5 tablespoons melted butter

1. Use a food processor to grind the oat cookie into fine pieces.  Mix in the brown sugar and salt.
2. Add the melted butter and mix until everything is moistened.
3. Press 2 tablespoons of of crust into 14 silicon cupcake liner.  Press the crust firmly into each liner.  Set the remaining crust to the side.
4. Place the cupcake liners on a cookie sheet.

Crack Pie Filling
150 grams sugar
90 grams light brown sugar
10 grams milk powder
12 grams cornstarch
3 grams kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3/8 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 egg yolks
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
salted caramel sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Mix the sugar, brown sugar, milk powder, cornstarch, and salt in in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on low speed until everything is well mixed.
3. Add in the melted butter and beat for 2-3 minutes or until all the dry ingredients are moist.
4. Beat in the heavy cream and vanilla for another 2-3 minutes.  Scrape down the bowl as needed.  Make sure there are no streaks.
5. Beat in the yolks until they are just mixed in.  Try not to over beat and add too much air in the mixture.
6. Pour 2 tablespoons of batter in each shell.  Bake for 10 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips in each cup.  Add about a 1 1/2 teaspoons of caramel sauce into each cup.  Sprinkle the remaining crust on top.
8. Bake for 5 more minutes and then open the oven door for 5 minutes and reduce the heat to 325 F.  The filling may bubble over, but it will be ok.  Bake the cupcakes until the tops are brown and there is only a slight jiggle when you shake the pan.
9. Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerated.  Garnish with powdered sugar.

Dean & Irene – Is this what you’ve been waiting for?