Food & Drink

How To Make Boston Cream Pie

Boston Cream Pie recipe. Despite its name, Boston Cream Pie is actually a cake. It's a favourite with those who love baking. Enlarge

How To Make Boston Cream Pie

Boston Cream Pie recipe. Despite its name, Boston Cream Pie is actually a cake. It's a favourite with those who love baking.

Prep:
15m
Cook:
1h
Total:
1h:15m
Serves:
8
Temp:
180° c  -  360° f

Step 1: You will need:

  • 80 ml milk
  • 4 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 whole eggs
  • 140 g flour
  • 140 g sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • for the pastry cream filling:
  • 500 ml milk
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 25 g butter
  • 150 g sugar
  • 60 g flour
  • 150 ml cream, whipped
  • for the ganache:
  • 220 g dark chocolate, chopped
  • 220 ml hot cream
  • 1 mixer with whisk attachment
  • 1 spatula
  • 1 24 cm spring-form cake pan, lined with parchment paper
  • 3 bowls
  • 1 whisk
  • 1 serrated knife
  • 1 saucepan
  • cling film
  • 1 wooden skewer
  • 1 small knife
  • 1 spoon
  • 1 cutting board

Step 2: Preheat the oven

Set your oven to 180ºC (350ºF/ gas mark 4).

Step 3: Combine the dry ingredients

Pour the flour into a bowl. Add the baking powder and the salt and briefly combine.

Step 4: Make the cake batter

Pour the milk and the oil into another bowl and set aside without mixing. Tip the eggs and the sugar into the mixer bowl. Whip on a high speed until fluffy. After roughly 3 minutes, lower the speed down. Add the vanilla and allow it to incorporate. Spoon in a third of the flour and add in a little of the milk and oil. Continue to add in the flour and the milk and oil mix in little amounts until they are all used and the batter is fully combined. Stop the mixer and remove the bowl.

Step 5: Bake the crust

Pour the batter into the baking pan, put it into the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until done.

Step 6: Make the pastry cream

Add the sugar, flour and a little of the milk into the egg yolks and mix well with your whisk. Next, slice the vanilla pod horizontally, split it open and scrape out the pulp with your knife. Place both the pulp and bean into the saucepan and pour in the remaining milk.

Step 7: Continue the pastry cream

Place the pan onto a medium to high heat and allow it to heat up. Pour some of the hot milk into the yolk mixture and mix it a little. Pour the whole yolk mixture back into the pan of milk. Stir continuously until it thickens into a custard like consistency then remove from the heat. Discard the vanilla pod, add the butter and whisk until combined.
Pour the liquid into a bowl and cover it with the film. Press the film down into the cream with your fingers - this stops a crust forming - and place into the fridge until chilled.

Step 8: Remove cake

Near the end of the cooking time, test the cake for readiness. Insert the skewer into the middle. If it comes out free of batter it is done. Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely.

Step 9: Make the ganache

Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and mix until thoroughly melted.

Step 10: Finish the cream filling

Pour the chilled cream filling into a bowl. Whisk it a little, spoon in the whipped cream and mix well.

Step 11: Slice the cake

When the cake has nicely cooled, take it out of the pan and remove the parchment paper. Slice off the top of the cake to make the it level then slice it in half.

Step 12: Build the cake

Generously heap one side of the sponge with the cream filling and spread it around to the sides. Place the other half of the sponge on top then spoon on the chocolate ganache and spread it over.

Step 13: Serve

Enjoy your Boston Cream Pie after a good meal, or on its own with a cup of coffee. You can always place it in the fridge if you wish to chill a little. This will only enhance the flavour.