First Daring Bakers Challenge - Bostini Cream Pie =D

Bostini Cream Pie

Getting Started!
The hardest part for me was getting started because so many talented people had already submitted some great ideas and my mind kept going blank on how I was going to present this dessert! You know how it is when you think to hard about something. . .I squeezed my imagination to hard and it deflated! Yeesh! So, I jumped in and started making this dessert hoping that when I got to the cake part, it would start coming together as a design. =D

Ingredients for 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 (EDITED: vanilla extract is okay)
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
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.

All those egg yolks looked so pretty sitting in a bowl waiting to get beaten. The egg whites I put syran wrap on for use as cake ingredients, which I did the next morning. This became a Saturday night and Sunday morning project. I was surprised at how quickly the custard came together. Also, I always worry about my eggs curdling when I added a little heat to the yolks first. Even when taking it slow, I have had a little trouble in the past. This time the custard mixed together beautifully. I was grinning like a Cheshire cat! (BIG smile)

The aroma from the custard smelled sooooo good. I made a mistake by keeping the custard on the heat too long because my custard became *really* thick. It did not hurt anything and when I checked for coating on the spoon, well, lets just say I had extra to taste test and I do LOVE vanilla custard. Delish!

I made another mistake here. . .and I knew better. Teaches me not to start cooking something when I am really tired. I put the custard in cute little ramekins and set in the refrigerator without putting any syran wrap on the surface of the custard to keep them from forming skins. The custard was still wonderful though! 8)

Chiffon Cake Ingredients:
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 Ingredients:
8 ounces semi or bittersweet chocolate
8 ounces unsalted butter
Directions for Assembly:
To prepare chiffon cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F. 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.
Sunday morning I started on the cake and chocolate sauce part and the dessert was a lot of fun to finish putting together. I found one of my favorite baking pans for making minature cakes and this worked wonderfully. I did have left over cake batter so I put this in large ramekins. The flavor of orange with the chocolate sauce is a great combination. Since I had a couple extra cakes, I tested this hypothesis out. . . a definite winner! BTW, I used bittersweet chocolate for the sauce.

I had company Sunday evening and I wanted to share this dessert so I was limited on time for presentation and believe it or not, my hubby actually chose how this was presented! I know, shocker for me too. He got so into me putting it together that I think I got more tickled watching him get enthused then me actually putting this together.


I would like to thank http://alpineberry.blogspot.com/ (Alpineberry) for this great challenge and the Daring Bakers for presenting the chance for so many people to feel part of something greater! Thank you!!!!! =D

Comments

Anne said…
Love the step by step photo. Your bostini's came out really well. Well done!
Anne said…
The cakes are beautiful! You did a great job! :)
Pille said…
Lovely tiny cakes, Shandy! I used bittersweet chocolate, too (72%), and it was a nice contrast to the sweet cream and orange-flavour cakes.
Annemarie said…
I also like the bittersweet chocolate in this. Well done on getting your custard so well set - I'm sure no one noticed any skins.
Henny A. said…
Congratulations on your 1st challenge! Great job!!
Anonymous said…
Very lovely! Your husband has elegant taste.
Brilynn said…
Congrats on a first challenge well done!
Warda said…
Your cakes turned out so fluffy and I love how you presented them in glasses.
Way to go on your first challenge. You're officially a DB.
Belinda said…
Shandy, your very first Daring Baker challenge turned out wonderfully! I love the little cakes...so cute, and so elegantly presented. And wow, your husband helped with plating them up?! How sweet. :-) I'm with you...the Daring Bakers are a super duper fantastic group, and its a delight to be a part of the crew!
Anh said…
Perfect job for your very first challenge!
Deborah said…
I love the shape of your cakes! Wonderful job on your first challenge!
Andrea said…
Congratulations on your first challenge! The dessert looks lovely in that glass. Welcome to the Daring Bakers!
breadchick said…
Love the little bundts in the claret glasses! Perfect way to finish your first Daring Baker Challenge!! Great job!!!
Elle said…
Shandy, this is a beautiful post, especially those photos showing each steps' ingredients. Your husband found a beautiful way to present the bostini, too. Glad that you are a Daring Baker!
slush said…
I forgot to put saran on my custard cups as well. It still tasted ok.

Beautiful job! I love the step by step pics!
Inne said…
Well done on your first DB challenge. The little cakes look absolutely adorable.
Sheltie Girl said…
Lovely job on the bostinis.

Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go
Jen Yu said…
Hey - hubby did a nice job on the assembly and presentation. I dare say it turned out well thanks to all of your baking! :) Looks terrific.

jen at use real butter
April said…
Your bostini looks beautiful!
Your Bostinis turned out great. And I'm glad your hubbie got in on the action too.
Christine said…
I love the look of your cakes, very light and airy. Great job on your first challenge!
Helene said…
My plastic film never made it on top of the custard either....but because we ate most of it almost right awy...oops! They turned out beautiful!
Great description of squeezed my imagination so hard it deflated! I think I know just what you mean. You did just the thing Shandy and just trust that the answer will come to you. Or in this case your husband. I'd say that boy is a keeper, and you have every reason to keep smiling like the Cheshire cat.
Shayne said…
I knwo what you are talking about where everyone posts what they did or are doing and then their ideas get into your head and then it is hard to find your own twist on presentation so I do look, I get the recipe as soon as it is posted and I stay far away from the site so that I am surprised on posting day...I like it better that way.
Anonymous said…
Delicious recipes. What a wonderful cooking and baking blog ~
Alexandra
Unknown said…
Such a cute egg separater! Great job.
I love the shape of your cakes! Congratulations on your first challenge! Wonderful!

Cheers,

Rosa
Anonymous said…
Congratulations on completing your first challenge! You did an amazing job!
marias23 said…
Love love love that you used mini bundt pans :) So adorable!
Lis said…
Well done, Shandy! I love those molds.. so pretty in the goblet! =)

Congrats on your first DB challenge!

xoxo
Brittany said…
These look great Shandy!! Beautiful snaps too : )
BC said…
Everything looks absolutely perfect. Well done!
Julie said…
Congratulations on your first challenge! And hooray for little bundts! You presented the dessert so well. You and your hubby are to be commended. =) Thinking up plating ideas is fun!
Gabi said…
Nice steps in photos and beautiful presentation!
xoxo
Dolores said…
I love your progressive photos and your thoughtful "lessons learned". Congratulations Shandy... GREAT first challenge! Can't wait to see what you come up with in November.
Peabody said…
Really like the molds you used for the cakes...cute.
I love the final presentation, especially the way the chocolate drizzled down the grooves of the little cake.

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