Boston Cream Pie In Boston

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Official State Dessert Of Massachusetts

How to Make The Most Amazing Boston Cream Pie | The Stay At Home Chef

A civics class from Norton High School found sponsorship for the bill which recognized Boston cream pie as the official state dessert of Massachusetts in 1996. All State Foods

The traditional Boston cream pie is a yellow cake filled with custard or cream and topped with chocolate glaze. The recipe for Boston cream “pie” was created in the 19th century, when the same pans were used to bake cakes and pies.

In 2003 Massachusetts also recognized the Boston cream donut as the official state donut. Bay staters have several more official food symbols a state cookie, muffin, berry, bean, and beverage.

What Is Boston Cream Pie

Despite the name, its not a pie at all. Filled with a rich and velvety pastry cream, what truly makes this two-layer golden cake so special is the rich chocolate icing. Back in the 1800s, chocolate was mainly consumed at home as a beverage or in puddings. With this inventive use of chocolate, the dessert was originally named Chocolate Cream Pie. Over time, the name changed, and in 1958, the Boston Cream Pie became so popular it was fashioned into a Betty Crocker boxed cake mix recipe.

Its so wicked awesome , were sharing our original recipe so you can learn how to make your own Boston Cream Pie at home. But if baking isnt your thing, you can always order Boston Cream Pie delivery from Goldbelly.

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What Youll Need For This Recipe

Vanilla: You can use a vanilla extract or if you want to see the little specks in your pastry cream use vanilla bean paste or a vanilla bean.

Cream: You can make the ganache with JUST chocolate and whipping cream but adding a tablespoon or two of light corn syrup will make it super-shiny and smooth.

Eggs: Large eggs are preferable and always make sure they are room temperature.

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Who Created Boston Cream Pie

The Omni Parker House is Bostons oldest continuously operating hotel established back in 1855. Its also the oldest continuously running hotel in the United States. Plenty of sites proclaim Boston Cream Pie to have been created in 1856. They also claim that BCP was the creation of Chef Sanzian. They are wrong there, too.

The chefs name wasnt Sanzian, but Chef Augustine Anezin, who worked at the hotel from 1865-1881 . As you already guessed, the 1856 date is wrong. The exact year when Boston Cream Pie was created isnt nailed down, but its definitely sometime after 1865 and, obviously, before the chef died in 1881 or we would call this Boston Ghost Pie.

When the Parker House opened in 1855, chocolate was mainly consumed at home as a beverage or in puddings. There was no lack of chocolate in Boston, since Americas first chocolate mill had opened in neighboring Dorchester in 1765.

Since colonial times, New Englanders have enjoyed a dessert called American Pudding-cake pie, but when Parker Houses own Chef Anezin and his bake staff drizzled chocolate icing onto sponge cake filled with vanilla custard, something new and sensational was born. Originally dubbed Parker House Chocolate Cream Pie, Boston Cream Pie became an immediate and perennial hit.

Boston Cream Pie, Omni House Hotel, Accessed August 9, 2021.

It would have made an eye-catching menu item.

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Best Of The Best Boston Cream Pie

Gluten

So, which won my vote for favorite? First, lets be clear. I loved all of them or they wouldnt be on this list. But if I HAD to choose

Boston Cream Pie from Left: Flour Bakery & Cafe Right: Omni Parker House

Flour Bakery & Cafe was my favorite for all-around taste and texture. It just had the it factor for me! A very close second was the original at Omni Paker House. Omni Parker House won best martini list EVER!

Where To Stay in BostonFound Hotel Boston is where I stayed my first two nights. A great mid-range option, it is located in the theater district close to Boston Gardens and has great amenities.Westin Copley Place is where I stayed the next several nights. It is luxury-range and located right in Copley Square not far from Boston Gardens or Fenway Park. The amenities are fabulous here as well.

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Best Boston Cream Pie

  • Downtown
  • price 3 of 4

The Omni Parker House Hotel is one of the most historic in the city. It was here, at Parkers Restaurant, where the Boston cream pie was born. This creamy, delicious traditional version consists of a light sponge cake filled with pastry cream and topped with chocolate. Walk off the calorites by checking out the hotels historic environs and interesting memorabilia.

  • South End
  • price 2 of 4

Joanne Changs beloved spot for pastries and baked goods offers a delicious, artfully-crafted version of the Boston cream pie. Layers of fluffy yellow cake and vanilla cream are toppped with a smooth chocolate ganache and coffee syrup.

  • North End
  • price 1 of 4

Bovas opened in the North End in 1932 and has remained a family-owned business all these years. Their Boston cream pie is a richer version, made with both vanilla and chocolate cream, and topped with a thick ganache. Best of all, Bovas is open 24 hours, perfect for a late-night cream pie craving.

  • Seaport District
  • price 2 of 4

As the flagship location within the iconic Legal Sea Foods empire, Legal Harborside offers three floors of different dining experiences, all with sweeping views of Boston Harbor. Choose the first floor dining room for a bustling, casual, and classic seafood experience that includes a near-classic version of the Boston cream pie featuring custard, yellow sponge cake and rich bittersweet chocolate.

  • North End
  • price 1 of 4
  • North End
  • price 1 of 4
  • Central Sq
  • price 2 of 4

Boston Cream Pie History:

Cooks in New England and Pennsylvania Dutch regions were known for their cakes and pies and the dividing line between them was very thin. This cake was probably called a pie because in the mid-nineteenth century, pie tins were more common than cake pans. The first versions might have been baked in pie tins. Boston Cream Pie is a remake of the early AmericanPudding-cake pie.

1856 The Parker House Hotel , claims to have served Boston cream pies since their opening in 1856. French chef Sanzian, who was hired for the opening of the hotel, is credited with creating Boston cream pie. This cake was originally served at the hotel with the names Chocolate Cream Pie or Parker House Chocolate Cream Pie. This was the first hotel in Boston to have hot-and-cold running water, and the first to have an elevator.

1879 In the cookbook, Housekeeping in Old Virginia, by Marion Cabell Tyree, has the following recipe for Boston Cream Cakes:Boston Cream Cakes:1 1/2 cups of water1 cup butter5 eggs

Boil the butter and water together, stir in the flour while boiling after it is cool, add the eggs, well beaten. Put a large spoonful in muffin rings, and bake twenty minutes in a hot oven.

The cream for them is made as follows: Put over the fire one cup of milk and not quite a cup of sugar, one egg, mixed with three teaspoonfuls of corn starch and one tablespoonful of butter. Boil a few moments only. When cool, add vanilla to the taste.

Open the cakes and fill them with this cream.

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How To Make The Chocolate Glaze

Melt the chocolate and butter in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water.

TIP: Don’t let the bowl touch the water, or you might scorch your chocolate!

Stir frequently until melted and smooth and well mixed. Leave to one side to cool while you make the cake.

You will find full instructions on how to make the sponge cake in the recipe card when you scroll below.

The Top 5 Places To Find Boston Cream Pie In Boston

Professional Baker Teaches You How To Make BOSTON CREAM PIE!

You can’t beat Boston if you’re looking for Boston cream pie. These five Boston bakeries serve up the best, creamiest Boston cream pie in town . Take an afternoon break for a slice, or buy a full cake to share with your friends. We recommend carving out time in your day to visit more than one bakery — it’s just that good.

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Tips For Making Boston Cream Pie

I will say upfront that this cake will take some time to prepare, as well as some intermediate baking skills but dont let that scare you off. Boston Cream Pie is a dessert that is well worth the effort and if you carefully follow our recipe below youll have a delicious, show-stopper of a dessert to serve your dinner guests.

Here are a few tips & tricks I learned along the way:

  • You must use a kitchen scale and weigh the flour and sugar for the cake. Do not try to convert the weight to a measured volume amount the measurements must be precise, and weight measurements are the ONLY way to be exact.
  • Use softened butter in the cake, NOT melted butter. This makes an enormous difference.
  • The flour and butter need to be folded into the batter and not whisked. To fold, simply take a spatula and gently fold the ingredients over and over until they are mixed.
  • DONT use bake-even strips around the edge of the cake pans. The cake batter in this recipe bakes up nice and evenly as is, and the bake-even strips actually prevent the batter from rising properly. So dont use them.

The nice thing about this recipe is that you can tackle it in pieces so it wont feel overwhelming. Make the custard the day before you plan to serve your Boston Cream Pie. Bake the cake layers the day before so they, too, can cool before assembling. Then, assemble your Boston Cream Pie a few hours before you plan to serve it so the ganache can set up before slicing.

But Seriously Why A Pie

This is where things begin to make sense before they become confusing once again. It’s safe to assume, at this point, that cake could also be called a pie during the 19th century. At least, that’s the only thing that makes sense considering Boston Cream Pie was said to have gotten its name from Washington Pie which, surprisingly, was almost the same dessert. While Washington Pie was a throwback to early America, this is where the idea came to create a new dessert that was similar, yet updated. What’s even more surprising is that the Boston Cream Pie that was created in 1856 is exactly how we eat it today, with the exception of powdered sugar over the top.

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Why Is It Called Boston Cream Pie

I know what youre probably thinking. This is clearly a cake, so why do we call it a Boston Cream Pie? Well, once upon a time, cakes and pies were often baked in the same tins. It is believed that this cake was first baked in a pie tin, and so the name Boston Cream Pie stuck.

While that may be the case, make no mistake that this pie is actually most definitely a cake! If youre looking for a true pie, make sure to check out Apple Pie or Shoofly Pie instead!

Enjoy!

  • 5largeegg yolks room temperature
  • 1 ½teaspoonsvanilla extract
  • 4Tablespoonsunsalted butter softened and cut into 4 pieces

Cake

  • ¼cupunsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 2largeeggs room temperature preferred
  • 1 ½cupsall-purpose flour
  • cupbuttermilk room temperature preferred

Ganache

Are Macarons Hard To Make

Bakestravaganza: Boston Cream Pie

Macarons can be a little tedious to make, but theyre actually easier than you think! Just take your time and carefully complete each step. I hardly ever sift ingredients with other cookies, but I do with Macarons. They also need time to set on the cookie sheet before AND after baking. But theyre SO WORTH IT! Here are a few items that helped me when I first began making macarons:

For the Shells

For the Filling

  • In a medium-sized heat proof bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolk until it is pale yellow in color about 1 minute.
  • Add the milk and vanilla bean paste to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring it just to a simmer .
  • Slowly pour the milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Make sure to pour slowly and dont stop whisking you dont want scrambled eggs!
  • Once all of the milk has been added, pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture starts to thicken.
  • Once the custard can coat the back of a spoon, remove it from the heat and whisk in the butter.
  • Transfer it to an airtight container and cover the top with plastic wrap .
  • Place the custard in the fridge to cool completely before transferring it to a piping bag.

For the Chocolate Ganache

Assemble and Age

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How To Make Sponge Cake

Sponge Cakes rely on whipped eggs to give them lift and structure. The cakes are perfect for this Boston Cream Pie recipe. You will need two, 8-inch round cake pans that have been sprayed with nonstick spray or prepared with GOOP. In addition, line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together both kinds of flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Next, in a microwave-safe bowl, add the milk and butter. Heat until the butter has melted , and then add the vanilla. Cover the bowl to keep warm.

Meanwhile, separate three eggs. To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the three egg whites only. To the bowl of just egg yolks, add the other two whole eggs. Set that bowl aside. At low speed, beat the egg whites until foamy. Increase the speed to medium and gradually add 6 tablespoons of sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Transfer the beaten eggs to a large bowl.

Now, it is the egg yolks with whole eggs mixture to be mixed in the bowl of the stand mixer. So, add the eggs to the stand mixer, along with the remaining 6 tablespoons of sugar. Mix on medium-high speed until the eggs are thick . Add these eggs to the bowl with the beaten egg whites mixture.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg mixture. Gently fold in the flour mixture about 12 times with a rubber spatula, or until mostly combined. Make a well in the batter. Pour the melted butter and milk mixture into the well. Gently fold with the spatula until no trace of flour is remaining.

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