The DF birthday week has reached it's conclusion, DF will finally have his "Boston Cream Pie." The celebration week started with a scrumptious Chocolate Genoise Cake with a Raspberry Crème Fraiche filling covered in a Marshmallow Meringue Frosting and completely glazed with a Shiny Chocolate Ganche.
DF has been waiting an entire year for his Boston Cream Pie, though he has yet to "meet" a cake he does not like, Boston Cream Pie is his favorite.
I actually thought this cake would fit
on this cake plate,
I guess the joke is on me!
The traditional Omni Parker House Boston Cream Pie is a sponge cake layered with a silky smooth pastry cream covered with chocolate fondant and spiraled with royal icing. I adapted DF's cake on the original recipe, with some changes. DF is not a fondant lover so I covered the cake in a bittersweet ganache, the spiral was done with white chocolate.
10x2-inch round cake
cut in half
Sydney and I started preparing the cake two days prior to DF's birthday. I wanted each component of this cake to be as close to prefect as "Bobbie" possible. Sydney and I were working so diligently I began to ponder why is this wonderful cake called a pie? Believe it or not I went to bed still deliberating this question, since sleep would not come I jumped on the internet to research. There were many sites that claimed to have the answer, however the answers were all different. If anyone knows the true answer PLEASE let me know!
Our mise en place
preparation.
The cake develops it's light texture and flavor from the egg yolks and egg whites, it is also what causes the cake to rise. There is no need for a leavener, eggs will do all the work. Between the pastry cream and the cake your egg quota will be met for the entire week! Of course DF believes that means Boston Cream Pie can be eaten as a breakfast food. Sydney disagrees, the debate has been set. In truth its not so much that Sydney thinks eating cake for breakfast is unhealthy; she just would like to see her dad eat other food groups. Since I have never been one to give labels to food categories, I say let him eat cake for breakfast..After all it is his birthday!
I must confess I love birthday week, I can bake and eat a new treat or pastry everyday. Besides aiding to my sweet tooth satisfaction, the achievement and self gratification that consumes my heart and soul is why birthday week has become so important during the years. Being able to convey to my small family how special they are to me is indescribable (take note I am hardly ever at a lost for words).
I based my Boston Cream Pie off of the Omni Parker House Boston Cream Pie, however I did a little more than just adapted the recipe. I thought it might be fun for you to have the original recipe, and than make your own cake changes!
Here is the Original Recipe, with out any changes:
Ingredients:
For Sponge Cake:
7 eggs, separated
8 ounces sugar
1 cup flour
1 ounce melted butter
For Assembly:
4 ounces toasted almonds
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In two bowls, separate egg yolks, and whites. Add 1/2 of the sugar to each bowl. Beat both until peaked. When stiff, fold the whites into the yolk mixture. Gradually add flour, mixing with a wooden spatula. Mix in the butter. Pour this mixture into a 10 inch greased cake pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until spongy and golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool firmly.
Left to Right: Egg white, Egg yolk ribbons
Center bottom: The fold!
For Pastry Cream:
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups milk
2 cups light cream
1/2 cup sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
6 eggs
1 teaspoon dark rum
For the chocolate fondant icing:
2 cups sugar
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup water
3 ounces semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup sliced almonds
To make the pastry cream, combine the butter, milk, and light cream in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring just to a boil. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the eggs and beat until ribbons form, about 5 minutes. Whisk into the hot-milk mixture and bring to a boil, whisking constantly (to prevent the eggs from scrambling) until the mixture has thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap (to keep a skin from forming).
Pastry Cream
Refrigerate for several hours. Whisk in the rum.
To make the chocolate fondant icing, wipe a large cookie sheet (or marble slab) with a damp cloth. Combine the sugar, cream of tartar, and water in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cover and let boil for 3 minutes. Uncover and dip a pastry brush in cold water to wash down the sides of the pot; boil until the syrup reaches the soft-ball stage (238 degrees), about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour onto the damp cookie sheet. Let it cool for 10 minutes, or until lukewarm. Using a metal spatula, spread the sugar mixture out and turn it over on itself until it starts to thicken and whiten. (It may be easier to knead the mixture with your hands). Continue kneading the sugar mixture until it is very stiff. Scrape it off the sheet, place in an airtight container, and refrigerate for several hours.
To assemble, heat 3/4 cup of the fondant and the chocolate in a double boiler until warm. Stir to a spreading consistency, adding a little water as necessary. Using a long serrated knife, slice the cake into 2 layers. Spread the pastry cream over the bottom layer, reserving approximately 1 cup of pastry cream to spread around the sides of the cake (to help the almonds adhere). Place the second layer of cake over the pastry cream and spread the reserved pastry cream around the sides of the cake. Top with the chocolate icing (work rapidly, since the icing sets very quickly) and press the almonds around the sides. Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 2 days and bring to room temperature before serving. (When refrigerated, the fudgelike icing becomes quite heavy and stiff).
Serves about 10.
The stages of
egg yolk ribbons
DF is not a fan of fondant (this needs to be reiterated), therefore I made a chocolate ganche. Poured the ganche into a measuring jug, and poured a double layer onto the cake, waiting for the first layer to set before pouring the second layer. I also made a white chocolate ganche and scooped it, using a rubber spatula, into a parchment paper cone and spiraled the white chocolate around the cake. I had left over Framboise Sugar Syrup, and was not going to let it go to waste, I brushed the remaining syrup on both sides of the sponge cake. DF loved the flavor, I think it will become apart of my Boston Cream Pie recipe.
DF's Boston Cream Pie
prior to him devouring
the entire cake!
Well maybe he shared it
with his unit..
As stated before this is the original recipe, not the recipe I actually created. This recipe has been apart of history for over 100 years, however if you would like my recipe please leave a message and I will be sure to e-mail it to you.
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