The Boston Cream Pie is a timeless dessert that Boston’s Parker House, now known as the
Omni Parker House, holds close to its heart. It is an original culinary creation that has been served since the opening of the hotel. The recipe below was originally called the Parker House “Chocolate Cream Pie”, and was created and served at
Parker’s Restaurant from the opening of the hotel in October 1855. It became so popular that in 1958 it was fashioned into a Betty Crocker boxed mix and sold nationally well into the 1990s.
What made the dessert so special was its chocolate icing. When the Parker House opened, chocolate was mainly consumed at home as a beverage or in puddings. So the Parker House cake might have become well known for its rather innovative use of chocolate. In fact, the Boston Cream Pie is not a pie at all, but a two layer golden cake filled with pastry cream. The Boston Cream Pie has been distinguished as Massachusetts’ official state dessert over Toll House Cookies and the Fig Newton. (
More “Perfecting Pie” Recipes)
Boston Cream Pie Recipe
One 10” round sponge cake
Pastry cream
4 oz. toasted almonds
Chocolate icing
The Sponge Cake:
(for 1 10-inch pan)
7 Eggs, Separated
8 oz Sugar
1 Cup Flour
1 oz Melted butter
1. In two bowls, separate egg yolks and whites. Add ½ of the sugar to each bowl. Beat both until peaked. When stiff, fold the whites into the yolk mixture.
2. Gradually add flour, mixing with a wooden spatula. Mix in the butter. Pour this mixture into a 10-inch greased cake pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until spongy and golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool fully.
The Pastry Cream:
1 Tbsp Butter
2 cups Milk
2 cups Light Cream
½ cup Sugar
3 ½ tbsp. Cornstarch
6 Eggs
1 tsp Dark rum
1. Bring to a boil in a saucepan the butter, milk and light cream. While this mixture is cooking, combine the sugar, cornstarch and eggs in a bowl and whip until ribbons form.
2. When the cream, milk, butter 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 tsp. dark rum.
For the Chocolate Icing:
6 oz Fondant
3 oz Semi-sweet chocolate, Melte
Warm 6 oz. of white fondant over boiling water to approximately 105 degrees. Add melted chocolate. Thin to spreading consistency with water.
For the White Fondant Icing:
5 oz Fondant
Warm 5 oz. 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.
Assembly
1. Level the sponge cake off at the top using a slicing knife. Cut the cake into two layers.
2. Spread the flavored pastry cream over one layer. Top with the second cake layer. Reserve a small amount of the pastry cream to spread on sides to adhere to almonds.
3.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.
4. Score the white lines with the point of a paring knife, starting at the center and pulling outward to the edge
5. Spread sides of cake with a thin coating of the reserved pastry cream. Press on toasted almonds.
 You can substitute chocolate or white icing for the fondant icing. The ingredients and procedures are below. |
Chocolate Icing
6 oz Semi-sweet chocolate, melted
2 oz Warm water
Melt the chocolate. Combine with warm water.
White Icing
1 cup 10X Sugar (Confectioner’s)
1 tsp Corn syrup
1 tsp Water
Combine ingredients and warm to approximately 105 degrees. Adjust the consistency with water. It should flow freely from the pastry bag.
 Chef Gerard Tice is an award-winning veteran chef on the Boston scene. Born and raised in Boston, Tice has worked at Boston University as personal executive chef to the president of Boston University and as executive chef at various hotels throughout the United States. A graduate of Johnson and Wales, Chef Tice is on the cutting edge of the latest food trends and is an active member of the Boston chapter of the American Culinary Federation. He has been executive chef at Parker’s Restaurant, home of Boston Cream Pie and Parker Rolls, since 2000. Chef Tice has recently completed the Omni Master Chef program in 2012 at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. Chef Tice is an active member of Les Amis d’Escoffier Society of Boston. Chef Tice has served former President George Bush Sr., former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Prince Albert of Monaco, and likes to enhance his plates with herb-infused oils. He always has garlic, fresh herbs and French wine to prepare his favorite dishes. |
