Champagne Chantilly Shooters

Shot glasses filled with champagne-infused pastry cream are the perfect petite size for ringing in the New Year. The glasses are rimmed with gold sugar for extra sparkle. 

These days after Christmas are quiet and there always seems to be another scrap of wrapping paper to tidy away. Little preparations for New Year's Eve are on my to-do list - like these petite champagne cream shots. They can be made ahead and are the perfect size for sampling without breaking any newly made resolutions (if such things apply).

I only have one resolution this year and that is to do more good than harm. And hopefully I can manage no harm at all!  Let's do our best to take care of each other, okay? (smile)

You may remember this recipe from my Sparkling Champagne Cupcake recipe.  It's the pastry cream portion that I developed for the filling. It's so good that I always have a spoonful or two straight from the saucepan! It has a custard-like consistency and it's full of champagne flavor.  I almost always use this sparkling wine, but I encourage you to experiment with your favorite brand of bubbly.

I used  mini parfait glasses, but you could also use any 2-3 oz. shot glass you have on hand.

Champagne Chantilly Shooters
Yield: 6 servings -I used six tall 2.5 oz. parfait glasses for this recipe.

[Click for printable recipe]

Sugar-rim the glasses:

Gold large crystal sugar or other large crystal sugar

Corn syrup or piping gel

1. Pour a little corn syrup or piping gel into a small shallow dish.  Pour large crystal sugar into another shallow dish.  
2. Lightly dip the rims of the glasses into the corn syrup and then into the sugar.  Let sugar rimmed glasses stand at room temperature while the other elements are prepared.

Champagne Pastry Cream:

1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
1/2 cup champagne or prosecco
2 tbsp. cornstarch 
5 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla

1. In a medium bowl, whisk cornstarch in 1/4 cup of heavy cream, set aside. Combine the remaining heavy cream, sugar and 1/2 cup champagne in a saucepan; heat until the mixture  just starts to bubble - don’t let it boil or most of the champagne flavor will cook out.  Remove from heat.  
2. Beat the whole egg and egg yolks into the cornstarch/heavy cream mixture.  Pour 1/3 of boiling champagne mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly so the eggs do not cook.  Return the remaining champagne/heavy cream mixture to a boil.  Pour in the hot egg mixture in a stream, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens.  Remove from heat and beat in the butter and vanilla.  Divide evenly among the 6 sugar-rimmed parfait glasses.  Refrigerate until firm.

Chantilly:

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tbsp. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1. In a medium bowl, beat heavy cream with an electric hand mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form; add vanilla and beat again. 
2. Transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star decorator tip.  Pipe whipped into each glass of pastry cream. Garnish with more sugar or decorative picks.

link Champagne Chantilly Shooters By Heather Baird Published: Friday, December 28, 2012 Friday, December 28, 2012 Champagne Chantilly Shooters