Classic Boston Cream Pie Food

CLASSIC BOSTON CREAM PIE

Steps:

• To make cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and flour a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan. Line with parchment paper; set aside.
• Sift together cake flour and salt. Sift again, twice; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix eggs and sugar until well combined. Place the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water; whisk until mixture is warm, about 110 degrees, and sugar is dissolved, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat; place bowl on mixer. With the whisk attachment, beat egg mixture on high until thickened and pale, about 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine milk and split vanilla bean. Place over medium heat until hot, being careful not to let boil. Remove and discard vanilla bean. With egg mixture beating, pour hot milk into egg mixture in a slow, steady stream. Turn off mixer. Transfer to a medium bowl; fold in flour mixture. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake until cake is golden brown and springs back when gently pressed, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely.
• To make filling: Prepare an ice-water bath. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 5 minutes. (It is essential that mixture come to a boil.) Remove from heat.
• Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot milk mixture into egg yolks. Return mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to bubble, about 3 minutes. (It is essential that mixture bubble again.) Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract.
• Transfer filling to a medium bowl. Place the bowl in the ice bath. Stir from time to time until mixture cools; it thickens as it cools. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing wrap against the filling to prevent a skin from forming. The filling may be refrigerated overnight at this stage, or it is ready to use.
• To make glaze and assemble cake: Split cake into two layers; spread bottom half with chilled filling. Place in refrigerator to set, about 30 minutes. Wrap remaining half of cake with plastic wrap; set aside.
• In a medium-size heat-proof bowl, or the top of a double boiler, set over a pot of gently simmering water, combine chocolate and heavy cream. Stir occasionally until chocolate melts, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
• Remove cake from refrigerator; top with reserved layer. Transfer cake to serving plate; pour chocolate glaze over top. Allow to set 20 minutes before serving.

HOMEMADE BOSTON CREAM PIE

Steps:

• For custard, in a heavy saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch; whisk in milk and egg yolks. Cook and stir over medium heat; bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in butter until melted. Immediately transfer to a clean bowl; stir in vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto surface of filling; cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate until cold., While custard is chilling, make cake layers. Preheat oven to 375°. Line bottoms of 2 greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper and dust with flour., In a large bowl, cream sugar and shortening until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15-20 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., For glaze, in a small saucepan, bring water and butter to a simmer; immediately remove from heat and whisk in cocoa powder. Beat in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth; cool slightly. , Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with cold custard. Top with the second cake layer. Spoon chocolate glaze over the top, allowing it to drip down sides of cake. Refrigerate until serving.

BOSTON CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Combine milk and butter in a small saucepan; set over very low heat.
• With an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar on high speed until thick, lightened in color, and mixture holds a trail for several seconds when beater is lifted, 4 to 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in dry ingredients just until incorporated.
• Bring milk and butter to a boil. With mixer on low speed, add hot milk mixture to batter; mix just until smooth. Mix in vanilla; transfer batter to prepared pan, and smooth top.
• Bake until golden and pulling away from sides of pan, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool cake 10 minutes in pan; remove from pan, and transfer to a rack to cool, right side up.
• Fill cake: For easy cleanup, place a piece of waxed paper under rack. With a serrated knife, split cooled cake horizontally (leave bottom half on rack). Spread bottom half with Vanilla Pudding to within 1/2 inch of edge; gently place top half of cake on pudding layer.
• Make Chocolate Glaze: In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream to a boil. Remove from heat, and add chocolate; stir until smooth.
• Set aside to cool to room temperature and to thicken slightly, about 10 minutes. When glaze has thickened, pour over filled cake. Using a small metal spatula, spread glaze to edges of cake, allowing it to drip down sides. Let glaze set, 15 to 20 minutes. Leftover cake can be refrigerated, loosely covered, up to 2 days.

TRADITIONAL BOSTON CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and flour a 9-inch-round cake pan. Line with parchment paper; set aside.
• Sift together the cake flour and the salt. Sift again, twice; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix the eggs and sugar until well combined. Place the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water; whisk until mixture is warm, about 110 degrees, and the sugar is dissolved, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat; place bowl on mixer. With the whisk attachment, beat the egg mixture on high until thickened and pale, about 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the milk and split vanilla bean. Place over medium heat until hot, being careful not to let boil. Remove and discard vanilla bean. With egg mixture beating, pour the hot milk into the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream. Turn off mixer. Transfer to a medium bowl; fold in the flour mixture. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake until cake is golden brown and springs back when gently pressed, about 30 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely.
• In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually stir in the milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks while whisking. Return mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to bubble, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the vanilla extract.
• Transfer filling to a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing wrap against the filling to prevent a skin from forming; chill in refrigerator until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Split the cake into two layers; spread the bottom half with chilled filling. Place in refrigerator to set, about 30 minutes. Wrap remaining half of cake with plastic wrap; set aside.
• In a medium-size heat-proof bowl, or the top of a double boiler, set over a pot of gently simmering water, combine the chocolate and the heavy cream. Stir occasionally until the chocolate melts, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
• Remove cake from refrigerator; top with reserved layer. Transfer cake to serving plate; pour chocolate glaze over top. Allow to set 20 minutes before serving.

CLASSIC BOSTON CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• To Make Cake:.
• Cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in medium bowl until light and fluffy.
• Combing dry ingredients.
• Add alternately with milk to creamed mixture.
• Pour batter into well-greased and floured 9-inch layer pan.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan.
• Cool completely on rack.
• To Make Filling:.
• Combine sugar, cornstarch, milk, and egg yolks in saucepan.
• Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils; boil and stir 1 minute.
• Remove from heat; blend in butter and vanilla. Cover and cool completely.
• To Make Glaze:.
• While the cake and the filling can (and should) be made ahead of time, the glaze cannot be made until you're ready to assemble the pie.
• Bring water and butter to a full boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in cocoa immediately. Then, beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla until the mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
• Assembling the pie:.
• Cut the cake into 2 thin layers.
• Spread filling onto one layer. Top with remaining layer.
• Pour glaze on top; let some drizzle down sides. Chill again before serving.