Fall Dessert Recipe: Boston Cream Pie

New England has drawn us in again for our latest autumn print. Boston’s intricate architecture and rich history inspired our new fall print drop. We’re bringing one of this town’s most famous treats to you. The Boston Cream Pie, which is actually a layered cake, was invented in 1856 by Armenian-French chef M. Sanzian at the Parker House Hotel. 

The iconic cake with chocolate ganache and a pastry cream filling is still a massively popular flavor combination today. In his recipe, John Kanell breaks it all down step by step so even if you can’t stop by a Boston bakery, you can still get a taste of this classic American dessert. 

Ingredients

Cake & Chocolate Ganache

• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1 cup cane sugar 200g
• ½ cup whole milk 120mL
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 70g
• 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons, 140g
• 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream 60mL
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped

Pastry Cream

• 6 egg yolks room temp
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups whole milk 480mL
• 1 tbsp butter 15g

Directions

For the Pastry Cream

1. Pour the milk into a medium saucepan, heat then place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Immediately turn off the heat and set.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until light and thickened. Sift in the cornstarch and whisk vigorously until no lumps remain. Whisk in 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture until incorporated. Whisk in the remaining hot milk mixture, reserving the pot for later.
3. Pour the mixture through a strainer back into the pot. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and slowly boiling. Cook while whisking for an additional minute or two after thickened and boiling.Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Let cool slightly then cover with plastic wrap, lightly pressing the plastic against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator.

For the Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray an 8-inch round cake pan with baking spray or butter and flour it. Line the bottom with parchment paper and spray again.
2. Combine flour, baking powder & salt in a bowl, then whisk together and set aside.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer, add eggs and sugar. Beat on medium speed until pale, thick and fluffy, about 4 minutes. (Beater should leave a trail in the eggs when lifted.)
4. Meanwhile, in a glass measuring cup, combine milk and butter. Microwave on high in 30-second intervals until butter is melted and milk is steaming.
5. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture, beating just until combined. Stir vanilla into hot milk mixture. Slowly pour hot milk mixture into egg mixture beating until fully combined. (Batter will look like thick pancake batter and have bubbles on top.) Scrape the sides of the bowl and fold batter a few times to ensure it’s fully combined. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan.
6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake begins pulling away from the sides of the pan, about 33 minutes. Let it cool in the pan for a few minutes then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Assembly

1. Cut the cake in half horizontally. Place bottom half, cut side up on a serving plate. Spread the chilled, thickened pastry cream over the cake, leaving a 1 inch border. Top with remaining cake half and gently press down to spread filling to edge. Place in the fridge and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight; cover with plastic or a cloche if chilling for more than two hours.

For the Ganache

1. When ready to serve, place cream in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave cream and optional corn syrup until steaming, about 1 minute. Add chopped chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir chocolate and cream mixture until smooth. Pour over top of cake, spreading to edges.

We hope you enjoy this delicious dessert, and have fun pairing it with our beautiful Boston print! If you want to learn more about Boston, and the best bakeries to get Boston Cream Pies, check out our travel guide here. 

With new fall dresses & tops, golden leaves & cooler weather, we’re definitely enjoying autumn this year. Sun protection is important all year round, so to keep you sun safe & stylish this fall we are releasing a whole new collection of fall prints! 

Follow us on Instagram & Facebook for the latest in stylish sun protection and check out our new arrivals here!