History

Boston Cream Pie originated in Boston, Massachusetts at a “hotel named the Parker House in 1856 by Armenian-French Chef M. Sanzian” (Mobile Cuisine). There is some question about whether this is factual, but it seems likely given that there are multiple sources that link Chef M. Sanzian to the Boston Cream Pie. According to What’s cooking in America, “Boston Cream Pie is a remake of American Pudding-cake”. After an extensive search for recipes resembling the American Pudding-cake, I did not see a really close resemblance to the Boston Cream Pie. Boston Cream Pie is a cake and not a pie. In earlier times, cakes were baked in pie tins. This is where the term pie was derived. The Boston cream donut was also named after the dessert. I have yet to meet one as delicious as the pie. In 1996, the state of Massachusetts declared the Boston Cream Pie as their official dessert (Wikipedia). Given the popularity of Boston Cream Pie, I cannot say that I have found this dessert on restaurant menus on the West coast. It is more commonly seen on the East Coast. However, I have seen Boston Cream Pie cupcakes at many local bakeries.

Boston Cream Pie is made of chocolate ganache, sponge or yellow cake, pastry cream, and a silky-smooth chocolate glaze. I have seen many variations of this dessert. The most common is a chocolate ganache topping, with the sides of the cake and custard visually exposed. I make my Boston Cream Pie with a dense coating of ganache all around and then glaze it, so that no cake or custard is exposed. This is how I first saw it served at a luncheonette in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. In hindsight, I wonder if it may have been prepared that way, so that the cake and custard would not dry out or stale while in the pastry display case.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roots

The word “ganache” is a French word meaning glaze or icing (Wikipedia). Ganache can also be used in candy such as truffles or as a base in desserts. I have seen white ganache that is typically used to cover confections and cakes. It is more versatile than chocolate and can be flavored with extracts such as lemon, almond and vanilla bourbon. I will eventually try using white ganache with chocolate pastry cream and chocolate cake. I like to experiment. Pastry cream also has French roots and according to Crafty Baking, it can be used “to fill cream puffs, éclairs, Napoléons, tarts, and other pastries. It is spread in between cake layers, such as Boston Cream Pie, and using as a base for endless recipes. It is called the “Mother of all creams!” (2004). Pastry cream is closely related to the custard family as it uses many of the same ingredients. Pastry cream is wonderful to eat by itself or accompanied with fresh seasonal berries and champagne. It is a bit like Crème Brulee without the caramelized topping. Vanilla pudding has nothing on pastry cream. It simply does not compare.

Discovery

The first time I ever saw, or tasted Boston Cream Pie was in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. I was twenty-five years old and was interviewing with the Vollrath Company. They are a small wares manufacturer. Small-wares in the food service industry are considered stainless steel or aluminum stock pots, fry pans, bun pans, ladles, dishers, and just about anything that is not equipment in a restaurant. I had been working a food service trade show in Chicago the week prior and drove to Sheboygan directly after the food show ended. This was before Garmin GPS systems. I had a paperback Thomas Guide to navigate my way through the rain, wind and snow. I arrived about two o’clock in the morning the day of my interview and had a few hours of restless sleep. I was up at five and found a place for breakfast before seven. I ordered an omelet with sad semi melted cheese curds. I was devastated to learn the restaurant did not possess Tabasco sauce, Cholula, jalapenos, salsa, cayenne pepper or even red pepper flakes. It was the most homogenous town I ever had visited. According to City-Data, the races in Sheboygan, Wisconsin (2016) whites alone made up 74.4% of the population. I think that was a good explanation for the lack of flavorful accompaniments. An elderly man sitting next to me at the counter was drinking coffee and ordered a slice of pie for breakfast. He was my hero. His pie reminded me of the long-lost cousin to my beloved Hostess Chocodiles that I loved so much as a kid. A Chocodile is essentially a chocolate covered Twinkie. I struck up a conversation with this man and he offered me a bite of his Boston Cream Pie. I could not say no. I did not say no, and I was not disappointed. Boston Cream Pie was so delicious, decadent and rich. I went to my dreadful six-hour interview and thought about the pie the entire time. Before I left town, I went back to the luncheonette and ordered a slice to take back on the airplane. I was delighted to discover that the waitress had given me an extra slice. I did not get the job I interviewed for and that was alright with me. I have a nice memory of the Boston Cream Pie and the elderly gentleman I met.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Goal

I must have been looking for a real challenge when I made up my mind to tackle this epic dessert. This cake sounds basic and easy enough to make but I find it tedious and a labor of love. It is messy, too. Therefore, I only make it once a year. Although there are four visual components to this pie, it requires methods that are not easy for a novice baker. I still struggle with certain elements at times and if something turns out poorly, I start over. This last time I made the pie, I discovered my digital scale was broken and my manual scale was also missing. This recipe commands constant attention. It uses a double boiler, measuring and converting (without a scale), separating, sifting, the use of multiple bowls, tempering, and patience. I try hard to focus. It is difficult with young kids vying for attention and creating a chaotic mess all around me. To me, food is sacred and good ingredients are costly. I proceed with extra caution to do things right the first time, but shit happens.

 

Working Smart

To reduce the stress on myself, I like to prepare some of the components of this pie ahead of time. I have tried several recipes, including one from Martha Stewart that did not turn out too well for me. I had issues with the cake being too dense and crumbly. I have tried her recipe three times. I gave up and moved on. Through the years, I have adapted my recipe for consistency and efficiency. I have learned through trial and error when to quit a recipe. I am a fan of Ina Garten, who is also known as “The Barefoot Contessa”. One of the pet peeves many people have with her is that she tends to cook with ingredients that are costly and hard to come by. She tends to say, “store bought is fine” (Garten, 2015). Which for many, is a ridiculous thing to say and out of touch. Most of us shop at a grocery stores and do not own a ranch  with herds of animals to butcher or a garden with fifteen varieties of tomatoes. I take her saying literally. I try and use the best ingredients as often as possible, but it is not always feasible. I am neither a purist nor a food connoisseur when it comes to eating and cooking. I like food that tastes good and I will not prepare something I will not eat. For my cake, I use a store-bought brand such as Pillsbury Yellow Cake Mix. It produces a moist and consistent cake every single time. Instead of a thirty-minute prep time to make a cake from scratch, using a store bought cake takes less than five minutes to mix in my electric Kitchen aid. I have sampled several organic yellow cake mixes and have yet to find one I want to use in my Boston Cream Pie.

Step 1. The Chocolate Ganache

Directions:

12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips

12 ounces of heavy whipping cream

Using a double boiler on low, melt the chocolate thoroughly. Then add heavy whipping cream and stir until fully combined. Let cool and refrigerate. I like to make the ganache a few days before I make the cake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 2.  Pastry Cream

Directions:

1 quart of whole milk

4 oz of sugar

4 egg yolks

2 eggs

2 1/2 ounces of corn starch

2 ounces salted butter

1 Tbsp of Vanilla (I use a bit more)

In a pot, dissolve the sugar into the milk and bring to a boil. Then remove from the heat. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks, eggs and sugar together. Sift in the corn starch and whip with a whisk until smooth. In another bowl, temper the egg mixture by slowly adding the milk, while continuously stirring rapidly, so the eggs do not cook. Return the mixture to the pot and bring to a boil until the pastry cream thickens. Remove from the heat. Using a fine mesh sieve, pour the pastry cream through the sieve and into a bowl to refine and smooth from any lumps or bumps. When the desired consistency is reached, add the butter and vanilla and mix until well incorporated. Cover with clingy wrap directly on top of the custard so that it does not form a skin. Refrigerate for up to a few days before use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 3. The Cake

1 box of Pillsbury Yellow Cake mix (or any other brand)

1 cup of hot water

½ Cup of unsalted butter (the box says oil, I use butter. It makes a differerence)

3 eggs

Bake at 350 degrees and the time as directed or until cake is set in the middle. I usually weigh the batter on a scale for exact equal portions. I use regular aluminum cakes pans that do not have a nonstick coating. I use butter and flour directly on the pans before I pour in the batter. After the cakes are cooked and have cooled, trim the tops of the cakes so that they are flat in the case that they are not even.

Step 4. Remove chocolate ganache from the refrigerator at least an hour before application. It should be malleable and easy to spread without breaking the cake. The Pastry cream also needs to be at room temperature, mixed well and pushed through a sieve once more to have a smooth texture.

Step 5. Assembly:

On a cake plate, arrange the first layer of the cake and top with a thick coat of pastry cream until it reaches the edges. Add the top layer and gently press until the pastry cream slightly pushes past the cakes edges. Using a spatula or knife, smooth the pastry cream back into the cake so that there is no space between the cake and cream. It should be a smooth wall of cake and pastry cream. Mix the ganache so that it is easy to spread and cover the entire cake starting with the top, sides and lastly the bottom. If you have come this far without any glitches you are in good shape. The last step is adding the warm chocolate glaze and smoothing quickly so the cake has a glassy smooth sheen. Refrigerate to set and keep chilled until ready to eat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 6. The Glaze

6 ounces of heavy whipping cream

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

2 ounces of butter

Directions:

In a double boiler, melt chocolate thoroughly and mix in cream until silky smooth. Remove from heat and add butter.

 A 50^th Birthday!

Boston Cream Pie is significant to me because I made it for my then-boyfriend, Jeff, for his 34^th birthday. We had dated for four years prior and within three weeks of making him the pie, he proposed marriage. I like to think it was the pie that sealed the deal. Since the day I met Jeff, I learned quickly that nothing could turn his head faster than chocolate cake and the way to his heart was through his stomach. He does not like to cook, which is surprising to me given that he is a mechanical engineer. I thought Engineer’s liked to make things. My Boston Cream pie is Jeff’s most favorite dessert that I make, and he hoards it like it is going to be his last meal. He turns 50 on March 10^th and he is nervous about getting older. It is funny, the age thing. They say numbers do not lie, which may be true, but no matter how old you are it is always nice to celebrate with your very own cake and at least a candle to blow out. Having gratitude for our health goes a long way. I appreciate every single day we have together and this man, whom I love more every day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Boston Cream Pie Fun Facts | Mobile Cuisine. (2017, October 23). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from https://mobile-cuisine.com/did-you-know/boston-cream- pie-fun-facts/(n.d.).

Dutoit, Y. P. (n.d.). Ganache. Retrieved March 06, 2018, from http://dictionary.sensagent.com/Ganache/en-en/

Garten, I. (2015, February 12). Chocolate Ganache. Retrieved March 07, 2018, from https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chocolate-ganache-recipe-1925556

Pastry Cream. Retrieved March 04, 2018, from https://www.craftybaking.com/learn/baked-goods/custard/types/pastry-cream

Thomson, J. R. (2013, February 06). Recipe of The Day: Pudding Cake. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/06/pudding-cake-recipe_n_2623187.html

Wikipedia contributors. (2018, February 23). Boston cream pie. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 03:18, March 5, 201 from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Boston_cream_pie&oldid=827192872

Yellow Cake | Baking Processes. (n.d.). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://bakerpedia.com/processes/yellow-cake/