Peppermint Hokkaido Cupcakes

Ingredients:
4 egg yolks
35g icing sugar ~ sieved
40g canola oil
75g cake flour ~ sieved
1/4 tsp baking powder
40g fresh milk
1/8 tsp peppermint extract

4 egg whites
100g caster sugar
1/8 tsp cream of tartar

18 mini candy canes (crush 3 of them)

Directions:

1. In the bowl, using a handheld whisk together egg yolks & icing sugar.
2. Add the oil & milk, followed by the peppermint extract.
3. Fold in the sieved flour & baking powder.  Set aside.
4. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they turn foamy.  Add the cream of tartar & sugar gradually whisking continuously till stiff peaks form.
5. Place 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture.  Mix it in & fold the remaining egg whites gently into the yolk mixture in two (2) batches.
6. Spoon the batter carefully into cups, filling each until they are about 3/4 full.
7. Lift each cupcake & gently drop it from a height of abt 5cm to remove any bigger air bubbles.
8. Bake in the pre-heat oven at 160 deg C. for 18-20 mins.  The cupcakes will puff up & the tops will be brown.
9. Let the cupcakes cool completely.  As they cool, they will deflate.

Filling

240ml whipping cream ~ cold

35g icing sugar ~ sieved

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

Directions:

1. Whisk the cold cream, sieved icing sugar & mint extract until stiff peaks form
2. Fill a piping bag with the cream.  Poke the piping tip into each cupcake & pipe the cream into the cupcakes.
3. Pipe a rosette on top of each cupcake & top with crushed candy cane & a whole mini-candy cane.
4. Keep the cupcakes chilled until ready to serve.