Boston Cream Pie

Would you like to save this recipe?

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

Send this recipe to my email.

Boston Cream Pie

Okay, so I cut this one a bit prematurely before the vanilla custard mousse was properly chilled but as sometimes happens, my anticipation got the best of me. I had been thinking of making a version of Boston Cream Pie based upon, as some of our Facebook Page members guessed, the one made famous by the Bread and Chocolate Bakery featured on one of Bobby Flay's Throwdowns on Food Network TV.

I don't have their recipe but used my own recipes for the different components of this now classic dessert. I was quite impressed by the eye catching inventiveness of the presentation and construction of their version and I've set out to replicate that vision in this adaptation. Here I've used my recipe for Perfect Sponge Cake as the base for this recipe because I love the lightness of the sponge with the custard mousse filling but you can easily substitute my very popular Best Vanilla Cake for a more traditional rendition of a Boston Cream Pie.

Recipe makes one large 10 inch cake or two 8 inch cakes.Serves 12.

Sponge Cake

Sift together and set aside:

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

For the meringue base of the batter you will need:

6 eggs separated, room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tarter
1 cup sugar, separated in 2 half cups
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon lemon flavoring (optional)

Beat egg whites and cream of tarter until foamy. Add ½ cup sugar gradually until egg whites are stiff.

Beat egg yolks and ½ cup sugar until foamy and thickened.

Fold beaten egg yolks into the beaten egg whites along with the vanilla (and lemon) for only a few turns before slowly and gradually folding in the flour and baking powder mixture very gently BY HAND using a rubber spatula until just incorporated into the meringue mixture. I mix in the dry ingredients in 3 equal portions. Do not over mix, you just want the flour to be incorporated; over mixing will deflate the egg whites and result in a tough textured final product.

Pour into greased and parchment paper lined 10 inch x 3 inch round cake pan (or 2 eight inch cake pans) and bake at 325 degrees F for 30 - 40 minutes (25 -30 minutes for smaller pans) or until center springs back when touched. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Custard Mousse

Scald over minimum heat

1 ½ cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split with the seeds scraped out

You can add the vanilla pod to the milk as it scalds for extra vanilla flavor and take it out when the time comes to mix with the flour and sugar mixture.

In a small saucepan combine

4 tablespoon all purpose flour
⅓ cup sugar
pinch of salt

Over medium flame slowly add the scalded milk whisking constantly.Continue to cook over medium heat until mixture begins to slightly thicken. At this point remove from heat and pour about a half cup of this mixture onto

2 slightly beaten extra large egg yolks

whisking constantly. Pour the egg mixture immediately back into the pot, continuing to constantly stir. Cook for an additional minute or two until pudding consistency and remove from the flame.

Stir in

2 tablespoon butter

Chill completely in the fridge.

Whip together to firm peaks:

½ cup whipping cream
3 tablespoon icing sugar

Gently fold the whipping cream through the chilled custard until smooth.

Chocolate Glaze

10 ounces chocolate chips
3 tablespoon butter
¾ cup whipping cream, at room temperature
1 cup icing sugar

Melt the chocolate and butter together over low heat before stirring in the whipping cream until smooth. Finally, whisk in the icing sugar until smooth.

To construct the cake, create a cavity in the top of the cake to hold the custard mousse. To do this, run a sharp knife all the way around the perimeter of the cake, about 1 inch inside of the edge, but only cutting half way down the depth of the cake. Similarly, cut a grid of lines in the circle created by the first cut. Using a fork, lift out the cubes of cake created by the cuts, leaving a solid base of cake underneath. Save these cake cubes for the top of the pie.

Spoon the chilled vanilla custard mousse into the cavity and arrange the cake cubes on top of the mousse.

Transfer the warm chocolate glaze into a large measuring cup and drizzle slowly all over the cake in a thin stream, taking care to ensure that all the cake cubes and sides of the cake have been covered. I stick strips of parchment paper around the edges of the cake plate to catch the excess, then remove them when the glaze cools. Chill the cake for several hours before serving.