PARKER HOUSE CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE

FOR THE SPONGE CAKE:
7 eggs, separated
8 ounces sugar
1 cup flour
1 ounce melted butter
FOR ASSEMBLY:
Pastry Cream (recipe follows)
Chocolate Icing (recipe follows)
White Icing (recipe follows) (optional, see note)
4 ounces toasted, sliced almonds

TO MAKE THE SPONGE CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In two bowls, separate egg yolks and whites. Add 1/2 of the sugar to each bowl. Beat both until peaked. When stiff, fold the whites into the yolk mixture. Gradually add flour, mixing with a wooden spatula. Mix in the butter. Pour this mixture into a 10-inch greased cake pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until spongy and golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool firmly.

TO ASSEMBLE:
Level the sponge cake off at the top using a slicing knife. Cut the cake into 2 layers. Spread the pastry cream over 1 layer. Top with the second cake layer. Reserve a small amount of the pastry cream to spread on sides, to let the almonds stick. Spread a thin layer of chocolate icing on the top of the cake. Follow immediately with spiral lines starting from the center of the cake, using the white icing in the pastry bag. Score the white lines with the point of a paring knife, starting at the center and pulling outward to the edge. Spread sides of the cake with a thin coating of the reserved pastry cream. Press on toasted almonds.

FOR THE PASTRY CREAM:
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups milk
2 cups light cream
1/2 cup sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
6 eggs
1 teaspoon dark rum

In a saucepan bring the butter, milk, and light cream to a boil. While this mixture is cooking, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and eggs in a bowl and whip until ribbons form.

When the cream, milk, butter mixture reaches the boiling point, whisk in the egg mixture and cook to boiling. Boil for 1 minute. Pour into a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap. Chill overnight if possible. When chilled, whisk to smooth out and flavor with 1 teaspoon dark rum.

CHOCOLATE ICING:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
2 ounces warm water

TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE ICING:
Melt chocolate. Combine with warm water.

WHITE ICING:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon corn syrup
1 tablespoon water

TO MAKE THE WHITE ICING:
Combine ingredients and warm to approximately 105 degrees F. Adjust the consistency with water. It should flow freely from the pastry bag.

Note:
If you prefer a Boston Cream Pie with a solid chocolate top, and no white icing, just omit the directions for the white icing.

From: Omni Parker House Hotel, Boston
Source: Doni Greenberg, Cooking with Doni, Redding Record Searchlight, July 18, 2007