Boston Cream Pie for Father’s Day

Boston Cream Pie

From Baking Illustrated

Ingredients:

For the Pastry Cream:

• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) sugar
• Pinch Salt
• 5 Large egg yolks
• 3 tbs cornstarch
• 4 tbs (1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 1/2 teas vanilla extract

For the Foolproof Sponge Cake:

• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) plain cake flour
• 1/4 cup (1 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teas baking powder
• 1/4 teas salt
• 3 tbs milk
• 2 tbs unsalted butter
• 1/2 teas vanilla extract
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) sugar

For the Glaze:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopping into small pieces
• 1/2 teas vanilla extract

Preparation:

For the Pastry Cream:

Heat the half-and-half, 6 tbs of the sugar, and salt in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until simmering, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Whisk in the remaining 2 tbs sugar and whisk until the sugar has begun to to dissolve and the mixture is creamy, about 15 seconds. Whisk in the cornstarch until combined and the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds.

When the half-and-half mixture reaches a full simmer, gradually whisk the simmering half-and-half into yolk mixture to temper. Return the mixture to the saucepan, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula; return to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a few bubbles burst on the surface and the mixture is thickened and glossy , about 30 seconds. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla. Strain the pastry cream though a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerated until cold and set, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.

For the Spongecake: Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 or 9 inch cake pans and cover the pan bottom with rounds of parchment paper or waxed paper. Whisk the flours, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl (or sift onto wax paper). Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla; cover and keep warm.

Separate 3 of the eggs, placing the whites in the bowl of a standing mixer, reserving the 3 yolks plus the remaining 2 while eggs in another mixing bowl. Beat the 3 whites at low speed until foamy. Increase the mixer speed to medium and gradually add 6 tbs of the sugar; continue to beat the whites to soft, moist peaks. (Do not overbeat.) Transfer the egg whites to a large bowl and add the whole-egg mixture to the mixer bowl.

Beat the while-egg mixture with the remaining 6 tbs sugar. Beat at medium-high speed until the eggs are very thick and a pale yellow color, about 5 minute. Add the beaten eggs tot he whites.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the beaten egg and whites; fold very gently 12 times with a large rubber spatula. Make a well in one side of the batter and pour the milk mixture into the bowl.Continue folding until the batter shows no trace of flour and the whites and whole eggs are evenly mixed, about 8 additional strokes.

Immediately pour the batter into the prepared cake pans; bake until the cake tops are light brown and feel firm and spring back when touched, about 16 minutes for 9-inch cake pans and 20 minutes for 8-inch cake pans.

Immediately run a knife around the pan perimeters to loosen the cakes. Place on pan on a towel and cover the pan with a large plate. using the towel to protect your hands and catch the cake, invert the pan and remove the pan from the cake. Peel off the parchment. Re-invert the cake from the plate onto the rack. Repeat with the remaining cake. Cool the cake layers to room temperature before proceeding with Boston Cream Pie.

For the Glaze: Bring the cream and corn syrup to a full simmer over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate; cover and let stand for 8 minutes. (If the chocolate has no completely melted, return the saucepan to low heat; stir constantly until melted.) Add the vanilla; stir very gently until the mixture is smooth. Cool until tepid so that a spoonful drizzled back into the pan mounds slightly. (The glaze can be refrigerated to speed up the cooling process, stirring every few minutes to ensure even cooling.)

To Assemble the Boston Cream Pie:

While the glaze is cooling, place one cake layer on a cardboard round on a wire rack set over waxed paper. Carefully spoon the pastry cream onto the cake and spread it evenly up to the edges. Place the second cake layer on top, making sure the layers line up properly.

Pour the glaze onto the middle of the top layer and let it flow down the cake sides. Use a metal spatula, if necessary, to completely coat the cake. Use a small needle to puncture any air bubbles. Let the cake sit until the glaze fully sets, about 1 hour. Serve the same day, preferably within a couple of hours.