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Boston cream pie
Sponge cake filled with vanilla custard under a chocolate glaze
AmericanDespite the name, Boston cream pie is a cake: two layers of butter sponge with a thick vanilla pastry cream between them and dark chocolate glaze poured over the top. It was created at the Parker House hotel in Boston in the 1850s and is now the official dessert of Massachusetts, served at birthdays and diners across the state. Chef's tip: chill the filled cake for 30 minutes before glazing so the custard sets and the layers don't slide.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the pastry cream
- 1 ¾ cups whole milk
- 2 ⅞ oz sugar
- 1 oz cornflour
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅔ oz butter
For the sponge
- 4 oz buttersoft
- 7 oz sugar
- 2 eggs
- 8 oz plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup milk
For the glaze
- 4 oz dark chocolatechopped
- ½ cup double cream
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat the 1 ¾ cups whole milk until steaming. Whisk the 4 egg yolks, 2 ⅞ oz sugar and 1 oz cornflour in a bowl, then pour on the hot milk while whisking.
5 minStep 2: Return to the pan and cook over a medium-low heat, whisking, until it bubbles and thickens like mayonnaise, then cook 1 minute more. Off the heat beat in half the 1 tsp vanilla extract and the ⅔ oz butter. Press cling film on the surface and chill.
6 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Grease and line two 20 cm round tins. Beat the 4 oz butter and 7 oz sugar for 4 minutes until pale, then beat in the 2 eggs one at a time with the rest of the 1 tsp vanilla extract.
8 minStep 4: Mix the 8 oz plain flour, 2 tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt, and fold into the batter in three goes, alternating with the ¾ cup milk.
3 minStep 5: Divide between the tins and bake for 25 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the tins, then on a rack.
35 minStep 6: Set one cake on a plate, beat the chilled pastry cream smooth and spread it over, leaving 1 cm clear at the edge. Top with the second cake and chill 30 minutes.
30 minStep 7: Heat the ½ cup double cream to steaming, pour over the 4 oz dark chocolate with the 1 tbsp golden syrup, wait 2 minutes, then stir until glossy. A common mistake is pouring it hot, so let it cool 5 minutes until it coats a spoon.
8 minStep 8: Pour the glaze onto the centre of the cake and nudge it to the edge so a little drips down. Chill 20 minutes to set, and keep any leftovers in the fridge.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does boston cream pie take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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