Written By Catherine Parrott

Wait, this isn’t a pie, what have I made? Did I know this when I started making it? Why is it called a pie if it’s not a pie? Have I compounded the lie by adding to the repertoire. Who am I. What is real and what is lie. I don’t even know anymore. Anyway, enjoy this delicious…Boston Cream Pie recipe?

RECIPE:

MOCHA MUSCOVADO SPONGE 

  • 90g UNSALTED BUTTER

  • 105g HAZELNUT CHOCOLATE SPREAD (Try to avoid the cheaper ones which are full of sugar and emulsifiers, they won’t bake as nicely and the will muddy the flavour)

  • 190g WHOLE MILK

  • 300g DARK MUSCOVADO SUGAR (the key player here!)

  • 2 MEDIUM WHOLE EGGS

  • 75g PLAIN FLOUR

  • 65g WHOLEMEAL FLOUR

  • 8g BAKING POWDER

  • ½ Tbsp GROUND COFFEE (Optional, the bitterness from the coffee is quite punchy. I think it is balanced by the chocolate and cream but you’re more than welcome to skip it)

MASCARPONE CREAM   

  • 500g MASCARPONE CREAM

  • 200ml DOUBLE CREAM

  • 100g ICING SUGAR (Sieved)

MILK CHOCOLATE TOPPING 

  • 200g 60% MILK CHOCOLATE (I like to use Milk chocolate because the sponge is quite bitter, they marry well - as opposites - very well)

  • 60ml VEGETABLE OIL

BEFORE YOU START…

  • Preheat your oven to 165c (Fan Oven 170c-180c for other, less powerful ovens)

  • Grease and line a 23cm cake tin (If you want thicker cake layers, you can use a 20cm tin)

METHODS:

FOR THE MOCHA MUSCOVADO SPONGE… 

In a pan, cook your butter until golden, decant into a bowl to cool. In the same pan, weigh out the spread, milk and muscovado sugar. Heat gently until the sugars and spread has dissolved. Return the butter to the pan and mix until smooth.

Crack and whisk together the eggs in a bowl and set aside.

Weigh out the dry ingredients together and mix together until evenly incorporated. Add the warm sugar/spread mixture and mix until smooth. (Mixing by hand it best here, to prevent over-mixing). Finish with the eggs and mix until smooth. (if there are any lumps you can pass the mixture through a sieve)

Decant into your cake tin and bake for 45-50 minutes. Once baked remove from the tin, cool completely and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before assembling your cake (the layers will be THIN and the firmer the sponge, the better here- during development I did not exercise the patience to do this and had a MELT DOWN whilst trying to assemble this. HA. TRAUMA)

FOR THE MASCARPONE CREAM…

Whip everything together until smooth and holds it’s shape. Set aside in the fridge until needed.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE TOPPING…

Over a Bain Marie heat everything together until the chocolate melted and the oil is evenly mixed through. While still liquid pour over the assemble cake and leave to set before serving.

TO FINISH: Assemble the cake by slicing the cooked and cooled sponge in half horizontally. Fill with the mascarpone cream and pour over the melted chocolate topping. Set in the fridge before cutting with a hot knife (either heated by a blow torch or very hot tap water). Serve as is, on it’s own. With zero regrets.

Catherine Parrott
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