Boston “Black Forest” Cream Pie

To make the pastry cream:

Add the cornstarch to 1/4 cup of the milk and stir to combine. Set aside.

Add the rest of the milk to a pot on stove along with the sugar and cook until boiling. Once it comes to a boil, remove from heat.

To the milk and cornstarch mixture add your egg and egg yolks. Beat well.

Pour 1/3 of the heated milk into the egg mixture whisking constantly.

Take the warm milk/egg mixture and pour it back in with the remaining warm milk continuing to whisk.

Place the pot back on medium heat and continue to whisk the mixture until it thickens into a custard consistency.

Remove from heat and add in the butter and vanilla.

Stir well and place in the fridge to cool completely.

To make the cake:

To a bowl add together all the dry ingredients: the cake flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well and sift once if needed. Set aside.

Add to a mixer the eggs yolks and half the sugar; 1/3 cup. Beat until light yellow in color. Set aside.

Next, add the egg whites to the mixer with the remaining sugar. Beat until stiff white peaks form.

Combine together the melted butter, cherry juice, and vanilla.

Gently fold the egg yolks into the egg whites until about halfway combined.

Add in the flour mixture and continue to gently fold the ingredients until flour is about halfway combined.

Last, add in the cherry juice mixture and fold until all the ingredients are just combined.

Pour the batter into two 8 or 9″ cake pans and bake at 350 degrees F for 18-20 minutes. I used 9″ pans. Cook about 2 minutes less for 8″ pans.

To make the ganache:

Place the cream and the chocolate in a microwave safe container and place it in the microwave for 20 seconds.

Pull it out and stir. Repeat two to three more times or until the chocolate just begins to melt into the cream.

Once the chocolate begins to melt into the cream, you don’t need to microwave it anymore. Just keep stirring and allow the chocolate to slowly melt into the warm cream. It will take a minute or two but it will melt and create a ganache.

To assemble the cake:

Place a layer of cake, and top it with the custard.

Add the cherries and then top it with the other cake.

Finally, pour the ganache over the top of the cake and allow it to fall over the edges.