When A Pie Is Not A Pie

I have been asked several times recently to make Boston Cream Pie for a birthday dessert.

In chronological order, they were for Mark, and then friends David and Appy. For the latter two, it was suggested by their wives as their “favorite.”

By the title and lead photo of this post, you can guess that Boston Cream Pie is no pie. But why call it a pie when it is clearly a cake?

Naturally, I went to my most trusted source, Markipedia. Being a native New Englander and a historian, I just assumed he would know. He did not. Disappointed? No, just shocked.

Wikipedia, however, had some good 411 for me. And it aligns with the little I knew from my mother. She always said her recipe was from the Parker House Hotel in Boston, a prime claimant for creation of both this cake and the eponymous Parker House Rolls.

Apparently, in the 19th century, pies and cakes were made in the same kind of baking tin and, thus, the terms cake and pie were sometimes interchangeable. Who knew?

Boston Cream Pie is also known by other names - chocolate cream pie, cream pie, and custard cake. To me, the latter makes the most sense...

This cake is unbelievably easy to make, and even the custard isn’t fussy at all. My mother – and Mark’s mother, for that matter – used to complain about making it, as it really is three distinct recipes: cake, custard, ganache. 

But no one of those three recipes is difficult. So do yourself a favor and make this treat!

~ David

Boston Cream Pie 

Cake

1 cup cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs


Custard
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
pinch salt
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla


Ganache
2 ounces (2 squares) semisweet chocolate
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons whole milk, plus extra if needed


Preheat oven to 375°F.

Cake
Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Place all cake ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer. With mixer at low speed, beat ingredients until just mixed, constantly scraping bowl occasionally with rubber spatula. Increase speed to high; beat 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely.

Custard
In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, whisk together the all custard ingredients except the vanilla. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until mixture thickens and boils, about 20 minutes; boil 1 minute. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in vanilla. Refrigerate filling until cool but not set, about 30 minutes.

Ganache
Meanwhile, in a heavy 1-quart saucepan melt chocolate and 1 tablespoon butter over low heat. Remove from heat. Whisk in confectioner’s sugar and 2-3 tablespoons milk until smooth and of easy-spreading consistency.

Assembly
With a sharp serrated knife, cut cake horizontally in half to form 2 layers. Place 1 cake layer on cake platter; spread evenly with all the cooled custard. Top with second cake layer, pressing down gently but firmly. Frost top of cake with ganache. Refrigerate until serving time.

Make 10 servings.



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