I have had a craving for a Boston Creme pie for a long time, so I was really happy when Williamsburg (Brooklyn) pastry chef Penny Stankiewicz offered up a recipe for mini Boston Creme pies just in time for Valentine’s day. If the length of the recipe seems a bit daunting, just take it a stage at a time, and it will come together quickly at the end. I hope it inspires you to make something sweet to share with someone this weekend. Or any time… You shouldn’t need an excuse to eat cake! Happy Valentine’s Day! – Kristina
About Penny: Formerly a documentary film producer, Sugar Couture owner and founder Penny Stankiewicz signed up for a pastry program at the Institute of Culinary Education to fulfill a desire to combine her interest in the food industry and her growing passion for creative expression. After completing her degree in Pastry Arts, Sugar Couture was born. Since 2004, when Penny began creating sweet, lasting memories, celebrities such as Tony Bennett, John Mayer, Wyclef Jean, Hugh Jackman, Adele, Hayley Duff, Russell Simmons, Betsey Johnson and Donna Karan have enjoyed Sugar Couture’s magnificent masterpieces. Penny lives in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with her husband Jay Sampson and their dog Sasha. In addition to Sugar Couture, she also offers private classes.
CLICK HERE for the full recipe after the jump!
Mini Boston Cream Pies
Much more cake than pie, Boston Cream Pie is two layers of a light sponge cake, filled with luscious vanilla pastry cream and topped with a rich chocolate icing. Start by making the glaze so it can set by the time you need it. Then make the pastry cream so it can cool while the cakes bake. And lastly, make the cakes, using a gentle hand to achieve the most delicate sponge.
Making these cakes in charming individual portions makes the baking super quick. You can use 3 inch individual pans, or spread the batter on a sheet pan… about 11”x 17”… and the rounds can be cut out with a pastry cutter or clean appropriate size can, after the cake has cooled. The recipe makes 6 -3 inch cakes.
As always with baking, make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before beginning the recipe, and measure all ingredients out before beginning to mix to insure the best results.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
CHOCOLATE GLAZE
5 ounces good quality dark chocolate (…I use Callebaut)
6 ounces heavy cream
1 tablespoon corn syrup
2 ounces (half stick) of butter
-Chop the chocolate finely and place in a heatproof bowl.
-Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it reaches a full boil. Immediately pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Shake the bowl gently to make sure the hot cream covers all the chocolate. Let this mix sit about 5 minutes.
-Whisk mixture until chocolate is combined and glossy.
Add the butter and whisk until combined.
Add corn syrup and combine.
-Cover glaze with a piece of plastic wrap touching the surface to avoid a skin forming. Set this mix aside at room temperature until you’re ready to assemble the cakes.
PASTRY CREAM
1 cup whole milk
4 T cornstarch
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
2 ounces (half stick) butter
½ vanilla bean or
2 tsp best quality vanilla extract
-Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/2 cup of cold milk. Add eggs to cornstarch mixture.
-Combine the rest of the milk and the sugar, and if using the vanilla bean, scrape the seeds from half the pod and add to milk and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and slowly drizzle hot milk mixture into the egg/cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly. As the eggs become more comfortable with the hot temperature, you can add the milk more quickly.
-Pour this back into the saucepan and cook, over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk until the cream comes together. It will take a while, but once it starts, it will move quickly. Keep stirring until the cream has become thick. Cook until you see one or two bubbles pop from the cream, to make sure to cook out the chalky texture of the cornstarch.
-Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl. Beat in softened butter and if using the vanilla extract, add it here. Place over a bowl of ice water to cool quickly. Cover with plastic wrap on the surface to prevent a skin from building up. Keep over ice or in the refrigerator until use.
VANILLA SPONGE CAKE
3 eggs- separated
1 cup sugar
½ vanilla bean or
best quality vanilla extract
1 2/3 (7 oz) cups cake flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
8 TBS (or one stick) of unsalted butter
1/2 cup of whole milk
-Prepare mini pans or sheet pans by coating liberally with baking spray or brushing with butter and dusting with a thin coat of flour.
-Melt butter with milk in microwave- set aside.
-Sift cake flour with baking powder and salt. Set aside.
-With an electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, whip egg whites, slowly streaming in half of the sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
-Again, in the electric mixer, whip egg yolks while slowly streaming in the remaining sugar until the ribbon stage. When the beaters are lifted, the batter will stream from the whisk forming a ribbon.
-With the mixer on, stream in the butter/milk mixture into the egg yolks. Add seeds from vanilla bean or vanilla extract.
-With a rubber spatula, gently fold the flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture in 3 additions.
-Gently fold whipped egg whites into yolk/flour mixture in two additions until just combined. Fill the prepared pans half full with cake batter. If using the sheet pan, evenly spread the batter in the prepared pan.
-Bake at 350 degrees for 14-18 minutes, until light golden brown and top springs back when touched.
ASSEMBLY
-With a serrated knife, cut off any domed top from the cakes. Cut each cake in half, or alternately cut out 3” rounds with pastry cutter or clean can.
-For finest presentation, you can add the pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a ½” tip and pipe cream in a spiral on the bottom half of the cake. Alternately, spoon the cream on top of bottom round of cake and smooth. Top pastry cream with another round of cake.
-With a small off set spatula, spread set chocolate glaze on tops of the mini cakes. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
Why I chose this recipe:
I spend my days with cakes, so no doubt I love them, but when I want to make something different I love making these mini Boston Cremes. The light sponge cake is really a stage for the stars of the show… creamy custard and rich chocolate ganache! The individual size portion is terrific for entertaining and makes your guests feel special, having their very own cake.
