Boston Cream Pie

Cream

1. To make the pastry cream, add 2 cups of milk and vanilla extract to a medium saucepan. Heat the milk, do not boil it.
2. In a large bowl, add the egg yolks and sugar. Mix all the ingredients until combined. Add the cornstarch to the mixture and whisk the ingredients well. Make sure there are no lumps left.
3. Add 1/4 of the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture and mix the ingredients. Add the remaining milk mixture to the egg mixture, making sure the ingredients are smooth.
4. Strain the mixture through a strainer. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
5. Once it starts to boil, let it cook for another minute or two after it thickens. Remove the mixture from the heat before adding the butter and mixing. Let it cool down a bit and then cover it with cling film. Chill the cream in the refrigerator.

Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 ˚F (175 ˚C) before oiling and flouring an 8-inch cake tin. Line the base with parchment paper and then grease it once more.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk all the ingredients well and set aside.
3. Combine 2 eggs and sugar in a stand mixer. Whisk all the ingredients until they are slightly pale, thick, and fluffy.
4. Combine milk and butter in a microwave-safe measuring jug or bowl. Microwave at thirty-second intervals before making sure the butter has melted and the milk has evaporated.
5. When the egg mixture reaches a good consistency, turn the mixer to low speed and slowly add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Whisk everything together until it's just combined. Stir the vanilla into the hot milk mixture before pouring the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture. Whisk these liquids until they are completely combined.
6. Scrape the sides of the bowl, pausing the whisk and making sure to fold the dough back on itself.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for about 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the cakes. Then cool the cake on the cooling wire.

Assemble

1. Cut the sponge cake in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Before spreading the pastry cream on the cake, place the bottom half on a serving plate, leaving about 1 inch of border around the edges. Place the top half of the cake on top of the pastry cream, before pressing lightly to spread the filling around the rim of the cake. Put the entire cake in the refrigerator and chill for at least two hours, preferably overnight. If you're refrigerating the cake for more than two hours, cover it.
2. When you're ready to serve the cake, we can make the ganache. Before putting the cream in the microwave, place it in a microwave-safe container and add the corn syrup if using. Microwave the mixture until it evaporates, which takes about a minute. Add the chopped chocolate and let it sit for five minutes. Blend the chocolate and cream mixture until completely smooth, pour over the cake and spread around the edges.
3. Chill for at least 3 hours before serving, and serve by slicing.