On Sun, 21 Mar 2021 11:23:11 -0400, Boron Elgar
> wrote:

>On Sun, 21 Mar 2021 08:53:14 -0600, US Janet >
>wrote:
>
>>On Sat, 20 Mar 2021 18:13:00 -0700 (PDT), Lenona >
>>wrote:
>>
>>>Since I have some yellow cake mix, a can of chocolate frosting, and "cook and serve" vanilla pudding, I thought I'd make Boston Cream Pie. Only thing is, I suspect the pudding will be kind of bland, compared to the filling one usually gets in a store-bought BCP. (It might also be too thin.)
>>>
>>>So, does anyone have any suggestions to make it taste more like custard? Of course, one thing I could do is use less milk than the pudding box suggests, but I wanted your suggestions too.
>>>
>>>(I'm guessing that, even with "cook and serve" pudding, one does not want to add an egg! But if you've ever done that and had it work, let me know.)
>>>
>>>
>>>Lenona.
>>
>>It sticks in my head that the instant pudding will weep in that kind
>>of situation. That's from some vague thought way back in my youth --
>>so don't trust me on that.
>>Janet US
>
>Boston cream pie requires a pastry cream to set up properly and help
>that filling stay in place in between the layers
>
>A favorite variation, with an orange twist and multi-layers. Garten's
>recipes have never failed me and chocolate and orange is a favorite
>combo.
>
>I change out the kind of chocolate at times, though, and always have a
>jar of instant Medaglia d'Oro in the freezer. I kept in her brand
>recommendations in the cut & paste below, so all could be seen.
>
>Alas, it makes too much cake for us these days. Maybe when things calm
>down and there are dinner parties and larger gatherings ahead, it will
>go back in the repertoire.
>
>https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/boston-cream-pie
>
>for the cake:
>
>¾ cup whole milk
>6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
>1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
>½ teaspoon grated orange zest
>1½ cups all-purpose flour
>1½ teaspoons baking powder
>1½ teaspoons kosher salt
>3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
>1½ cups sugar
>for the soak:
>
>¹/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
>¹/3 cup sugar
>1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
>
>for the chocolate glaze:
>
>¾ cup heavy cream
>1¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips, such as Nestlé’s (7½ ounces)
>2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, such as Lindt, broken in pieces
>2 tablespoons light corn syrup
>1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
>½ teaspoon instant coffee granules, such as Nescafé
>
>Grand Marnier Pastry Cream (recipe follows)
>
>Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 9-inch round baking pans,
>line them with parchment paper, butter and flour the pans, and tap out
>the excess flour. Set aside.
>
>For the cake, scald the milk and butter in a small saucepan over
>medium heat (see note). Off the heat, add the vanilla and orange zest,
>cover the pan, and set aside. In a small bowl, sift together the
>flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
>
>In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment,
>beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 4 minutes, until
>thick and light yellow and the mixture falls back on itself in a
>ribbon. By hand, first whisk in the warm milk mixture and then slowly
>whisk in the flour mixture. Don’t overmix! Pour the batter evenly into
>the prepared pans. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes
>out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then
>turn them out onto a baking rack, flipping them so the top sides are
>up. Cool to room temperature.
>
>For the soak, combine the orange juice and sugar in a small (8-inch)
>sauté pan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Off the heat, add the
>Grand Marnier and set aside.
>
>For the chocolate glaze, combine the heavy cream, semisweet chocolate
>chips, bittersweet chocolate, corn syrup, vanilla, and coffee in a
>heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Stir occasionally
>with a wooden spoon, just until the chocolates melt. Remove from the
>heat and set aside for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until
>the chocolate is thick enough to fall back on itself in a ribbon.
>
>To assemble, cut both cakes in half horizontally. Place the bottom of
>one cake on a flat plate, cut side up. Brush it with a third of the
>soak. Spread a third of the Grand Marnier Pastry Cream on the cake.
>Place the top of the first cake on top, cut side down, and repeat with
>the soak and pastry cream. Place the bottom of the second cake on top,
>cut side up. Repeat with the soak and pastry cream. Place the top of
>the second cake on top, cut side down. Pour the ganache on the cake,
>allowing it to drip down the sides. Set aside for one hour, until the
>chocolate sets. Cut in wedges and serve.
>
>Grand Marnier Pastry Cream (Makes enough for one 9-inch cake)
>
>5 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
>¾ cup sugar
>¼ cup cornstarch
>1½ cups whole milk
>1 tablespoon unsalted butter
>1 tablespoon heavy cream
>1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
>1 teaspoon Cognac or brandy
>½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
>Beat the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted
>with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed for 4 minutes, until
>very thick. Reduce the speed to low and add the cornstarch.
>
>Meanwhile, scald the milk in a medium saucepan. With the mixer on low,
>slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture. Pour the mixture back
>into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes,
>stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture starts to
>thicken. When the custard starts to clump on the bottom of the pan,
>stir constantly with a whisk (don’t beat it!) to keep the custard
>smooth.
>
>Cook over low heat until the custard is very thick like pudding. If
>you lift some custard with the whisk, it should fall back onto itself
>in a ribbon. Off the heat, stir in the butter, heavy cream, Grand
>Marnier, Cognac, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and transfer to a
>bowl. Cool for 15 minutes. Place plastic wrap directly on the custard
>(not the bowl) and refrigerate until very cold.
>
>NOTES:
>
>To scald milk, heat it just below the boiling point—there will be
>small bubbles around the edge of the milk. Don’t let it boil!
>
>Don’t refrigerate the assembled cake because beads of condensation
>will form on the chocolate.
>
>MAKE AHEAD:
>
>Prepare the cakes and pastry cream, wrap well, and refrigerate
>separately. Prepare the chocolate glaze and assemble an hour before
>serving.

The recipe sounds tasty. However I don't bake anything anymore. The
results are just too plentiful for us
Janet US