Even if you’re not a dessert connoisseur, there’s no doubt you’ve heard of the Boston Creme Pie. What you may not know, however, is that this iconic treat is actually not a pie at all.
In fact, the Boston Creme Pie is simply a two-layer golden cake that is filled with pastry creme and topped with chocolate icing. When it was created in the 19th century, chocolate was mainly used as a beverage or in puddings. So, when it was used in the cake, it became known as a Chocolate Cream Pie. The name eventually changed and it has become so popular that you can now find it pretty much everywhere, in its classic form, as a doughnut and even as a Pop-Tart.
Omni Hotels in Massachusetts claims one of its properties was the first to make the dessert in 1856, when Boston Creme Pie was served at the grand opening of Boston’s Parker House, located downtown and now known as Omni Parker House. More than 150 years later, it is now the official state dessert of Massachusetts, beating out the Toll House cookie for the title in 1996.
Now, Omni is sharing the original recipe so that anyone craving its authentic Boston Creme Pie can make one at home. The recipe calls for making everything from scratch, so be prepared for a bit of work. You’ll need essentials like eggs, flour and sugar, plus ingredients for pastry cream and icing like cornstarch, chocolate and even rum. We’ve got the whole thing posted below.
Meanwhile, if you want an easier way to make this favorite sweet treat, check out Betty Crocker’s Boston Cream Pie recipe.
Omni Parker House Boston Cream Pie Recipe
For the sponge cake:
7 eggs, separated
8 ounces sugar
1 cup flour
1 ounce butter, melted
Toasted almonds, sliced
For the pastry cream:
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups milk
2 cups light cream
1/2 cup sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons corn starch
6 eggs
1 teaspoon dark rum
For the icing:
5 ounces fondant for white icing (or substitute with 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon corn syrup, 1 teaspoon water)
6 ounces fondant for chocolate icing (or substitute with 6 ounces melted semi-sweet chocolate, 2 ounces warm water)
3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Separate egg yolks and whites into two separate bowls. Add half of the cake sugar to each bowl. Beat both until you get stiff peaks. When stiff, fold the whites into the yolk mixture. Gradually add flour, mixing with a wooden spatula. Mix in the butter. Pour this mixture into a 10-inch greased cake pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until spongy and golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool fully.
Bring the butter, milk and light cream for the pastry cream to boil. While this mixture is cooking, combine the sugar, corn starch and eggs in a bowl and whip until ribbons form. When the milk mixture reaches the boiling point, whisk in the egg mixture and cook to boiling. Boil for one minute. Pour into a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap. Chill overnight if possible. When chilled, whisk to smooth out and flavor with 1 teaspoon dark rum.
Once the cake has cooled, level the sponge off at the top using a slicing knife. Cut the cake into two layers. Spread the flavored pastry cream over one layer. Top with the second cake layer. Reserve a small amount of the cooled pastry cream to spread on the sides to adhere to the sliced almonds.
Warm 5 ounces of white fondant over boiling water to approximately 105 degrees. Thin with water if necessary. Place in a piping bag with a 1/8-inch tip. For the chocolate fondant, warm additional 6 ounces of white fondant over boiling water to approximately 105 degrees on a candy thermometer. Add melted chocolate. Thin to a spreading consistency with water. If you’re using the fondant substitutions, melt the chocolate and combine with warm water. Combine ingredients and warm to approximately 105 degrees. Adjust the consistency with water. It should flow freely from the pastry bag.
Spread a thin layer of chocolate fondant icing on the top of the cake. Follow immediately with spiral lines starting from the center of the cake, using the white fondant in the pastry bag. Score the white lines with the point of a paring knife, starting at the center and pulling outward to the edge. Spread sides of cake with a thin coating of the reserved pastry cream. Press on toasted almonds for the final step.
If you want a taste of this signature pie without making it yourself, you can grab a slice at Parker’s Restaurant in Boston or order one for nationwide delivery from Goldbelly.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories.
