Boston Cream Pie (Cook's Ill.)

By MarieR

This triple-component dessert would deserve a revival—if only we could make the filling foolproof and keep the glaze from cracking off.
Be sure to chill the assembled cake for at least 3 hours to make it easy to cut and serve.

Ingredients

• PASTRY CREAM
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) sugar
• Pinch salt
• 1/4 cup (1 1/4ounces) all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into
• 4 pieces and chilled
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• CAKE
• l 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar
• GLAZE
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

1. FOR THE PASTRY CREAM: Heat half-and-half in medium saucepan over medium heat until just simmering. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt together in medium bowl until smooth. Add flour to yolk mixture and whisk until incorporated. Remove half-and-half from heat and, whisking constantly, slowly add 1/2 cup to yolk mixture to temper. Whisking constantly, return tempered yolk mixture to half-and-half in saucepan.
2. Return saucepan to medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer, whisking constantly, for 8 minutes.
3. Increase heat to medium and cook, whisking vigorously, until bubbles burst on surface, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla until incorporated. Strain pastry cream through fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl. Press lightly greased parchment paper directly on surface and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
4. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment paper, then grease parchment.Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in bowl. Heat milk and butter in small saucepan over lowheat until butter is melted. Remove from heat, add vanilla, and cover to keep warm.
5. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip eggs and sugar at high speed until light and airy, about 5 minutes.Add hot milk mixture and whisk by hand until incorporated. Add dry ingredients and whisk by hand until incorporated.
6. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake until tops are light brown and toothpick inserted in center of cakes conies out clean, 20 to 22 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cakes cool completely in pans on wire rack, about 2 hours. Invert cakes onto wire rack, remove parchment, then reinvert cakes.
7. Place 1 cake layer on serving platter. Whisk pastry cream briefly, then spoon onto center of cake. Using offset spatula, spread evenly to edge. Place second layer on pastry cream, bottom side-up, and press lightly on cake to level. Refrigerate while preparing glaze.
8. FOR THE GLAZE: Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Whisk gently until smooth, 30 seconds. Let stand, whisking occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.
9. Pour glaze onto center of cake. Use offset spatula to spread glaze to edge of cake, letting excess drip down sides. Chill cake before serving, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.