Culinary Heritage

Boston Cream Pie

Boston Cream Pie, the custard-filled cake with chocolate frosting originally called the “Parker House Chocolate Cream Pie,” was created and served at Parker’s Restaurant from the opening of the hotel in October 1856. It became so popular that in 1958 it was fashioned into a Betty Crocker boxed mix and sold nationally well into the 1990s and is now the official state dessert of Massachusetts.

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 1856. It became so popular that in 1958 it was fashioned into a Betty Crocker boxed mix and sold nationally well into the 1990s.

Boston Cream Pie Recipe
Ingredients:

Sponge Cake

• 7 Eggs, separated
• 8oz. Sugar
• 1 Cup Flour
• 1 oz. Melted butter

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

Icing

• 5 oz. Fondant for white icing
• 6 oz. Fondant for chocolate icing
• 3 oz. Semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Directions

Step 1: Separate egg yolks and whites into two separate bowls. Add ½ of the sugar to each bowl. Beat both until peaked. 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 at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until spongy and golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool fully.

Step 2: 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. 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.

Step 3: Level the sponge cake 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 pastry cream to spread on sides to adhere to almonds.

Step 4: For chocolate fondant: Warm 6 oz. of white fondant over boiling water to approximately 105 degrees. Add melted chocolate. Thin to spreading consistency with water. For white 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.
Alternate: Melt the chocolate. 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.

Step 5: 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.

Boston Cream Pie Video

Parker House Rolls

The soft, buttery Parker House Rolls, dubbed “America’s first soft dinner roll,” was a top secret recipe until 1933 when U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt requested they be served at a White House Dinner.

Ingredients

• One 1/4-ounce package active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled (1 cup)
• 2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 7 1/2 to 8 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions

Step 1: Make the Dough
In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the yeast with the water and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Let stand until foamy, 10 minutes. Beat in the remaining sugar, 3/4 cup of the butter and the milk, eggs and kosher salt. At low speed, stir in the 7 1/2 cups of flour until the dough comes together; add more flour by the tablespoon, if necessary. Mix at medium speed until the dough forms a loose ball around the hook, 3 minutes. Brush a large bowl with some of the melted butter. Transfer the dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 hours.

Step 2: Form the Rolls
Preheat the oven to 375-degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a 9-by-16-inch rectangle. Using a floured knife, cut the dough lengthwise into 3 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 12 small strips. Working with 1 piece at a time, fold it unevenly so the top half slightly overlaps the bottom half. Tuck the overhang under and place the roll seam side down on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, forming 2 rows of 9 rolls on each baking sheet. Each roll should just touch its neighbors, but leave about 4 inches between the rows.

Step 3: Bake the Rolls
Bake the rolls for about 18 minutes, until browned; rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking. Immediately brush the rolls with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt. Transfer the rolls to a rack and let cool for 15 minutes before serving. To reheat, toast in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes.