Daring Bakers Challenge: Bostoni Creme Pie

I was looking at other food blogs from The Foodie BlogRoll and started to notice something. A banner with the name Daring Bakers on it and wondered what it was. So I click on the logo and it brought me to a page that told me all about it. It sounded like fun and something I needed right now. A reason to bake and blog about it...not that I really needed a reason for that to happen.

This my first challenge which is called Bostoni Creme Pie...something I have never made before. I was defiantly up for this challenge and couldn't wait to get started. One thing that really attracted me to this group was looking at every one's past challenge post and how different they came out. I thought it was really awesome how everyone interpreted it differently but really ended up with the same thing. So I thought how I could make this dessert in my own special way...since it is October I decided to put a little Halloween twist on it.

Bostini Cream Pie(from Donna Scala & Kurtis Baguley of Bistro Don Giovanni and Scala's Bistro)
Serving Size: 8 Generous Sevings

INGREDIENTS:

Custard

3/4 cup whole milk

2 3/4 tablespoons cornstarch

1 whole egg, beaten

9 egg yolks, beaten

3 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 vanilla bean

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar

Chiffon Cake

1 1/2 cups cake flour

3/4 cup superfine sugar

1 1/3 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup canola oil

1/3 cup beaten egg yolks (3 to 4 yolks)

3/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 1/2 tablespoons grated orange zest

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup egg whites (about 8 large)

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Chocolate Glaze

8 ounces semi or bittersweet chocolate

8 ounces unsalted butter

INSTRUCTIONS

To prepare the custard:

Combine the milk and cornstarch in a bowl; blend until smooth. Whisk in the whole egg and yolks, beating until smooth. Combine the cream, vanilla bean and sugar in a saucepan and carefully bring to a boil. When the mixture just boils, whisk a ladleful into the egg mixture to temper it, then whisk this back into the cream mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain the custard and pour into 8 large custard cups. Refrigerate to chill.

To prepare the chiffon cakes:

Preheat the oven to 325°. Spray 8 molds with nonstick cooking spray. You may use 7-ounce custard cups, ovenproof wide mugs or even large foil cups. Whatever you use should be the same size as the custard cups. Sift the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Add the oil, egg yolks, orange juice, zest and vanilla. Stir until smooth, but do not overbeat. Beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gently fold the beaten whites into the orange batter. Fill the sprayed molds nearly to the top with the batter. Bake approximately 25 minutes, until the cakes bounce back when lightly pressed with your fingertip. Do not overbake. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. When completely cool, remove the cakes from the molds. Cover the cakes to keep them moist.

To prepare the glaze:

Chop the chocolate into small pieces. Place the butter in a saucepan and heat until it is just about to bubble. Remove from the heat; add the chocolate and stir to melt. Pour through a strainer and keep warm.

To assemble:

Cut a thin slice from the top of each cake to create a flat surface. Place a cake flat-side down on top of each custard. Cover the tops with warm chocolate glaze. Serve immediately.

Review:

I can't say that I never made a dessert with so many parts before because I think I have. It just felt like more because I have a little one the take care of as well this time. All parts were very easy to make and it was nice that you can make each part separately. I made the custard one night, the cake the next day and the chocolate sauce just before I served the dessert. The only oops made during the recipe were really user errors and nothing to do with the recipes. I really liked the taste of this dessert and would make it again but next time make smaller bite size servings. I felt it was too much or as my husband put it to rich...for the serving size I made. Just for health reasons really this is a special occasion or a request only type of dessert...not good for people who have cholestral problems.

Notes:

The host of each challenge allows a few substitutes in each recipe. I was going to use a the vanilla bean because I thought I had one but it must have gotten lost in the move or burried way in the back of the cabinet....so I ended up using the vanilla extract. I also used all purpose flour instead of the cake flour because I don't have room for another sack of flour....and with just needing 1 1/2 cups meant most of the sack would still be full.