Winning Mini Coconut Cupcakes with Poppy Seed Crust, Muscat Raisin Filling, and Parsley Icing with Toasted Coconut, Flax and Poppy Seed Toffee, and Organic Roses

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder 
• 0.5 teaspoon baking soda 
• 0.5 cup brown sugar 
• 1 cup butter 2 sticks
• 1 cup coconut or toasted
• 1 cup coconut or toasted for garnish
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract 
• 1.5 cups coconut flakes 
• 1 cup coconut milk 
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar 
• 5  eggs 
• 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley fresh italian
• 0.5 cup flax seed and poppy seed toffee finely chopped
• 0.3 cup flax seeds toasted
• 2.3 cups flour all-purpose
• 3 envelopes gelatin powder unflavored
• 1 cup milk 
• 2 cups muscat raisins 
• 0.3 cup poppy seeds 
• 48 servings pink-tipped rose petals green organic for garnish cut into chiffonade,
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 2 cups caster sugar 
• 1.5 cups butter unsalted cold 3 sticks
• 1.5 cups butter unsalted room temperature 3 sticks
• 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 0.5 cup warm water 
• 0.5 cup water cold
• 1 tablespoon water 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• sauce pan
• oven
• blender
• hand mixer
• spatula
• muffin liners
• pastry bag
• offset spatula
• apple corer
• candy thermometer

Directions

1. For the toffee: Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat.
2. Put the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. When the butter is halfway melted, add the sugar and water and cook over low heat, stirring very gently with a rubber spatula, until completely combined. Clip on a candy thermometer on to the side of the pan, turn the heat up to medium-high, and wait for the mixture to reach 300 degrees F, about 15 minutes. The mixture will start to bubble and turn brown. If the browning seems uneven, swirl the pan during the cooking process, but do not stir. Once the mixture reaches 300 degrees F, remove the pan from the heat and remove the candy thermometer. Stir in the toasted flax seeds and poppy seeds.
3. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet, using an offset spatula to spread evenly. (This will cool quickly.) Chop by hand into small pieces.
4. For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line mini cupcake pans with 48 mini cupcake liners.
5. Sprinkle each cupcake liner with 2 teaspoons Toasted Flax and Poppy Seed Toffee. In the bowl of a standing mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
6. Add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition.
7. Add the coconut extract and coconut flakes. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Alternate folding the coconut milk and flour mixture into the butter mixture. Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters of the way and bake for 11 minutes. Cool.
8. To assemble: When the cupcakes are cool to the touch, use an apple corer to make a hole in the center of each cupcake (be careful not to go to the bottom of the cupcake and tear the paper).
9. Put the Muscat Raisin Filling in a pastry bag, snip the end, and fill each cupcake to the top of the hole. Pipe the Parsley Icing high on the tops of each cupcake. Decorate the sides of the cupcakes with toasted coconut. Arrange a few rose petals in a circle on the tops of the cupcakes and fill the middle with additional Toasted Flax Seed and Poppy Seed Toffee.
10. Combine the milk and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat to dissolve the sugar.
11. Add the raisins and continue to cook for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool.
12. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.
13. Pour onto a half sheet tray and place in the refrigerator to cool.
14. Combine the raisin mixture and toasted coconut by hand.
15. For the puree: Rinse and pat dry the parsley. Bloom the gelatin in the warm water. Trim the bottom 2 inches from the parsley and add the remaining parsley to a blender.
16. Add the bloomed gelatin and cold water and blend until smooth. It should hold a slight peak and be bright green (you may need to add a couple extra tablespoons of water).
17. Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet and cool quickly in the refrigerator.
18. For the icing: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and salt on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
19. Add the confectioners' sugar in 1/2-cup additions until fully mixed.
20. Add the vanilla. Fold in the finely chopped toffee.
21. Remove the parsley puree from the refrigerator and mix into the icing.
22. Transfer the icing to a large pastry bag fitted with a large fluted star tip. Return to the refrigerator to keep firm.