Boston Cream Pie

My father is a complex man.  He has a long, grey beard and a habit of dressing in animal pelts.  He taught me to use a chainsaw (and sliced halfway through his own leg with one many years ago).  My wife's aunt gave him the nickname "Famous Dan the Mountain Goat Man" for helping her through a particularly difficult rock scramble.  He enjoys sleeping in the woods in the middle of the winter.  He is, according to some, eccentric.

But the same man who taught me to use a chainsaw taught me how to use a sewing machine.  I made apple pies beside him every fall for years.  He stayed home with me when I was young, cutting my sandwiches into puzzles, and attending every field trip my classes took.  He is certainly the reason I am an accomplished cook.  He is a man who believes he can cook anything better than a restaurant, and he's usually right.  Every occasion is an opportunity for a feast: Saint Patrick's Day, Chinese New Year, him hitting two thirds of a century.

Even though he does (most of) the cooking, he will let my mother bake.  He says he married her for her cream cheese brownies, and if you've had them, you wouldn't be surprised.  The one cake I always remembered my mother making for my father is a Boston Cream Pie.  It's not a pie, but it is from Boston.  It was created at the Parker House Hotel in 1856 and is the perfect dessert if you can't decide if you want pudding or cake, chocolate or vanilla.  Despite my regional pride, I could never get behind Boston Cream Pie as a child.  Something about the texture of custard was weird to me.  But I have gotten over it, and, in celebration of my father's birthday, I have taken on this project.

And a project it is.  There's a custard.  There's a cake.  There's a glaze.  I guess it's the Famous Dan the Mountain Goat Man of cakes.  It has layers.  It's complex.  Don't try to label this cake, just enjoy.

Boston Cream Pie
Serves 8 to 12

For the custard:
2 c half-and-half
1/2 c sugar
pinch salt
5 large egg yolks
3 T cornstarch
4 T butter
1 1/2 t vanilla

For the cake:
1/2 c cake flour
1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
3 T milk
2 T butter
1/2 t vanilla
5 large eggs
3/4 c sugar

For the glaze:
1 c heavy cream
1/4 c light corn syrup
8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 t vanilla

Heat the half-and-half, 6 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a medium pot over medium heat.  Stir occasionally until sugar dissolves.

Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl, and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.  Whisk until the mixture is creamy, about 15 seconds.  Add the cornstarch, and whisk for another 30 seconds.

When the half-and-half mixture has simmered, gradually whisk it into the yolk mixture to temper.  Return the mixture to the pot, and return to a simmer, whisking constantly.  Remove from heat, and whisk in the butter and vanilla.  Strain through a mesh sieve over a medium bowl to remove lumps.  Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (I did 1 hour, and the world did not end).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two 8 inch cake pans.  Whisk the flours, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  Heat the milk and butter in a small pot over how heat until butter melts.  Remove from heat, add vanilla, and cover to keep warm.

Separate 3 eggs.  Beat the 3 whites until foamy.  Keep beating, and add 6 tablespoons sugar.  Continue beating until whites form soft peaks.

Beat egg yolks and 2 remaining eggs with remaining 6 tablespoons sugar for about 5 minutes, or until pale yellow.  Add egg white mixture.  Sprinkle the flour mixture over the eggs, and fold gently.  Pour in the milk mixture, and continue folding until everything is evenly mixed, but don't over mix.

Pour batter unto prepared pans, and bake until tops are light brown and firm, about 20 minutes.  Immediately run a knife around pan to loosen cakes.  Invert the pans, and remove from the cakes.  Cool completely.

Bring cream and corn syrup to full simmer over medium heat in medium pan.  Remove from heat, and add chocolate.  Let stand for 8 minutes.  Add vanilla, and stir until mixture is smooth.

While glaze is cooling, place one cake layer on a plate.  Spoon custard onto cake, and spread it evenly up to the edges.  Place second layer on top.  Pour glaze on top of the top cake, and coat the cake completely, letting glaze run down the sides slightly.  Let cake cool until glaze sets, about an hour (or as long as you can wait).