Boston Cream Pie

You came here because you and I are so health conscious and we're all watching our calories and cholesterol...yeah, right. 

Boston Cream Pie is one of those decadent, guilty pleasures.  You either enjoy it at a restaurant or when you pick one up in the freezer section or bakery counter at your grocery store.  How many times have you thought about going into the kitchen and whipping up this beast?

Thanks to Bobby Flay's Throwdown, I have done it exactly once, so far...

One thing I learned while watching my husband and children devour this crazy looking cake, it's all about the cream and the chocolate.  The cake, well the cake is just a vessel. 
After deciding to attempt to make this dessert, knowing the cake part wasn't what it was all about, I opted for the convenience of a yellow cake mix waiting in the pantry. 

Watching the assembly portion of the cake really got my attention.  The actual baking, pastry cream and ganache methods, I put together from various recipes I have used in the past.  Give this a try sometime, just be careful, it's addictive.

Boston Cream Pie:


For the cake:

Prepare your favorite white or yellow cake per package or recipe directions in two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans.  Allow cake to cool, remove from pans, place on cake rounds or plates.

While the cake is baking, prepare the pastry cream.

Pastry cream:

2 1/4 cups whole milk
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon butter

In a saucepan, whisk 2 cups of the milk and sugar together. Place the pan over medium heat and bring the liquid up to a simmer, in a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks together. Temper the hot milk into the egg yolks about two tablespoons at a time. Whisk the egg mixture into the hot milk mixture. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining milk, making a slurry. Whisk the slurry into the hot milk mixture. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until the filling is thick, about 4 to 6 minutes. Fold in the vanilla, and butter. Mix well.

Ganache

1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate

Place the ingredients into a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Whisk until melted and smooth.

Assembly

Place the cooled cakes on top of each other (bottoms - flat sides together) and place on a cake round. Using a serrated knife, hollow out the middle of the cake about 1 to 1-1/2 inch deep leaving about a 3/4 inch border around the edge of the cake.  Place the cut out on a plate and cut into big chunks and set aside.  Fill the cavity with the pastry cream and create a small mound in the middle. Pile the cake pieces on top of the pastry cream. Pour warm ganache over the entire surface until covered. Let the cake rest for 2 to 3 hours before serving.

Monday we will eat lighter!