Boston Cream LIES!

Ok, so I was in the US a few years ago and ordered Boston Cream Pie for dessert, expecting some sort of pie crust filled with creme patissiere or something. Instead I got a cake filled with it and coated in rich chocolate ganache. It was delicious but very misleading and I never found out why it is in fact called a pie when it's clearly a cake!
 
*Phew* rant over. So it's my brother's birthday and he loves loves loves creme patissiere. In fact I'm pretty sure if I just presented him with a bowl of the stuff and a spoon he'd consider that a birthday present in itself. I normally use it as a filling for my Summerfruit Tart but I know he likes this dessert too so I decided to give it a go.
 
Boston Cream Pie
Makes one 9" cake 

Sponge

• 350g self raising flour
• 350g caster sugar
• 225g butter (room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 5 eggs
• 50-75 mls milk

Preheat the oven to 175C
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition
Add half the flour, mix, add half the milk and repeat.
If the mixture is a little thick looking add some extra milk
Divide the batter into two tins and bake for 30-35 minutes

Creme Patissiere

• 300mls full cream
• 200 mls full milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 100g caster sugar
• 40g cornflour
• 5 egg yolks

Heat the cream, milk and vanilla on medium until it's nearly reached a boil
In a glass bowl mix the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour
When the cream mixture is ready pour it into the egg mixture and whisk
Pour everything back into the pot and cook on a medium heat until it begins to thicken
Cook for a further 3-5 minutes, whisking constantly, then remove from the heat
Cool completely in a glass bowl
Fill the cake using a piping bag with a round tip/no tip

Chocolate Ganache

• 300g dark chocolate
• 130 mls full cream

Scald the cream and pour it over the chocolate
Stir until the chocolate is completely melted, then cool completely before pouring over the cake