Full of Cake

If "8 Across: Swedish Death Metal" was the clue on a crossword puzzle, without even thinking, I'd use those little boxes to spell out "ENTOMBED."
Entombed are one of the greatest Swedish Death Metal bands of all time. Their first 2 albums Left Hand Path and Clandestine are awesome, and definitely considered classics within the style.
Swedish Death Metal is different from regular old Death Metal, in that it's rooted in punk rock and it's much more melodic. The scene in Stockholm in the early 90's, gave those Floridians at Morrisound Studios a run for their money. It's pretty interesting that the best Death Metal comes from either the swamps of Florida or snow drifts of Sweden.
Dismember, At The Gates, and Afflicted are also really great Swedish Death Metal bands. If you haven't already, check them out!

In 1993, Entombed released Wolverine Blues. With this album, they branched out from traditional Swedish Death Metal, and started playing "Death & Roll," which is a combo of Rock & Roll and angry, growly, Death Metal. This record has been reissued recently, in celebration of it's 20 year anniversary.

Nicke Andersson left the band in 1997 to focus on his punk/rock band The Hellacopters. They're really great too! Check out High Visibility, because it fucking rocks.

Entombed has had a lot of line-up drama over the years, with various members leaving and returning to the band. There are actually 2 Entombeds now: "Entombed" with Alex Hellid, and "Entombed AD" with L.G. Petrov, Olle Dahlstedt, Nico Elgstrand, and Victor Brandt. Entombed AD is supposed to release a new album in August of this year. Here's hoping it kicks ass!!

This recipe was inspired by the song "Full of Hell." It features lingonberry cakes topped with chocolate Crème Brûlée to match the crackly-faced dead guy entombed on the cover of Wolverine Blues. Just sprinkle some turbinado sugar on top, melt it with a torch, and crack it with the back of a spoon. Brutally delicious.

Entombed: Full of Cake

Makes 18

Metal Constituents:
 

For the pastry cream:

• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar, divided
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

For the cupcakes:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 egg whites
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup lingonberry jam

For the topping:

• 1/3 cup turbinado sugar (I prefer Sugar in the Raw)

 
Merciless Instructions:

1. Make the pastry cream first: In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together egg yolks and 2 Tbsp sugar until well blended.
2. Add cornstarch and mix until everything is well combined, slightly pale and fluffy. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, heat cream, milk, remaining 6 Tablespoons sugar, salt and vanilla over medium heat.
4. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, add chocolate chips and continue to stir until they're melted.
5. Bring mixture just to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Adjust temperature as needed, but DO NOT let it boil!
6. Take about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture from the pan, and with your mixer on low, slowly pour it into the egg yolk mixture, letting it run down the inside of the bowl. This will keep the mixture from turning into scrambled eggs.
7. Reduce burner temperature to medium-low.
8. While whisking the hot cream mixture in the saucepan, slowly pour the egg yolk mixture back into the hot cream mixture in the saucepan.
9. Cook mixture, whisking constantly, until thickened.
10. Once it's the consistency of a thick pudding, remove from the heat, and use a spatula to force the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and into a bowl.
11. Stir in 1 Tbsp butter.
12. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly against the surface of custard.
13. Chill thoroughly, for at least 2 hours.
14. To make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake tin with baking cups, and set aside.
15. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
16. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
17. Add egg, beat until combined.
18. Add egg whites and vanilla, and continue to beat.
19. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk. Mix until just combined.
20. Beat in Lingonberry jam.
21. Fill baking cups about 2/3 full.
22. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean.
23. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
24. To assemble cupcakes: Using the cone method, cut out a small hole in the middle of each cupcake.
25. Entomb a healthy amount of chocolate pastry cream in the center of each cupcake, then pipe or spread more pastry cream over the top in an even layer.
26. Working with one cupcake at a time, sprinkle the entire top of the pastry cream with lots of turbinado sugar.
27. Using a chef torch,  heat the sugar until it's melted and bubbling. Yeah... I kinda singed the edges of my cupcake liners, but whatever. It's fine. Just be careful with this step. Hot sugar burns, fucking hurt.
28. Allow the melted sugar to cool and harden, then crack it all over with the back of a spoon. Serve immediately.
29. I'm full of cake!

Here's some live footage of Entombed playing "Revel in Flesh" off of Left Hand Path, and "Stranger Aeons" from Clandestine. Enjoy!




And here's "Full of Hell" to listen to while you're baking.