Classic Boston Cream Pie

1. Heat Half-and-half

Start by heating the half-and-half in a medium saucepan until it's just simmering. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until well combined. Add the flour to this mixture and mix until smooth.

2. Temper Yolk Mixture

To temper the yolk mixture and prevent the eggs from cooking too quickly, slowly whisk in 1/2 cup of the hot half-and-half. Once combined, return the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan with the remaining half-and-half. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, which will take about a minute. Continue to simmer, whisking constantly, for another 8 minutes, then increase the heat and whisk vigorously until bubbles burst on the surface, around 1-2 minutes.

3. Finish Pastry Cream

Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the cold butter pieces and vanilla extract until the butter has melted. Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl to ensure it's smooth. Press a piece of lightly greased parchment paper directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

4. Prepare Cake Pans and Dry Ingredients

Preheat your oven to 325°F and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans by spraying them with nonstick cooking spray and lining the bottoms with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

5. Heat Milk and Butter

In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter over low heat until the butter is melted. Add the vanilla extract, cover, and keep warm.

6. Whip Eggs and Sugar

Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the eggs and sugar on high speed until the mixture is light and airy, which takes about 5 minutes. Carefully add the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture, whisking by hand until incorporated. Then, add the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined.

7. Bake Cake Layers

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake until the cake layers are light brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20-22 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans, around 2 hours. Once cooled, run a small knife around the edges, invert the cakes onto a wire rack, remove the parchment paper, and reinvert the cakes.

8. Assemble Cake

Place one cake layer on a large plate. Spread the chilled pastry cream evenly over the top using an offset spatula. Place the second cake layer on top, with the bottom side up, and press lightly to level. Refrigerate the assembled cake while you prepare the glaze.

9. Prepare Chocolate Glaze

In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream and corn syrup to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate, whisking gently until smooth. Let the glaze stand, whisking occasionally, until it has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.

10. Finish and Chill Cake

Pour the glaze onto the center of the cake and spread it to the edges, letting the excess drip decoratively down the sides. Chill the finished cake for at least 3 hours before slicing.