History & Legislation of the Boston Cream Donut

Massachusetts State Donut

Section 51. The Boston Cream Donut shall be the official donut of the commonwealth.
Approved January 1, 2003.

To read a wonderful musing about the donut, try Happy National Donut Day by the Food Muse.

How to Make a Boston Cream Donut

Boston Scream (web-design on a Boston Cream Donut) photo by James Lee

Yield: 12-14 donuts
Difficulty: Advanced

Vanilla Pastry Cream Filling:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 4 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3/4 cup warm milk (105° to 115ºF.)
• 1 package active dry yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 2 bars (1.5 ounces each) Godiva® Dark Chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons water
• 4 teaspoons light corn syrup
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

1. Place sugar and 1 cup milk in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat until mixture boils.
2. Place cornstarch in medium bowl. Using wire whisk, gradually whisk in remaining milk and whisk until mixture is smooth. Add yolks and whisk until well blended.
3. Slowly pour 1/3 cup hot milk into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in remaining hot milk. Return milk-yolk mixture to saucepan and heat to a boil over medium heat. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla. (If pastry cream is lumpy, pass it through a sieve.) Transfer pastry cream to a nonreactive bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface of cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold.

1. Place warm milk, yeast and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar in bowl of electric mixer. Using a wire whisk, stir mixture until yeast granules are evenly dispersed. Let stand for 3 minutes until yeast is dissolved and mixture begins to foam.
2. Add 1 1/2 cups flour to yeast mixture. Using paddle attachment, beat on low speed 2 minutes. Remove paddle attachment and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature 45 minutes. Sponge will have increased in volume.
3. Thoroughly grease a large bowl with 1 tablespoon room temperature butter. To sponge, add remaining butter and sugar, yolks, salt, cardamom and nutmeg. Mix on low speed until blended. Add 1 1/2 cups remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Beat dough on medium speed 5 minutes. Dough will not form a ball – it will be soft and part of it will wrap itself around paddle. If dough is very sticky, add remaining flour 1 tablespoon at a time, as necessary.
4. Scrape dough into prepared bowl, turning over dough so that top is greased. Cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise at room temperature about 2 hours, or until it has slightly more than doubled in volume. (Rising time will depend upon room temperature.)
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and evenly dust with flour. Dust a clean work surface with flour. Turn out risen dough onto surface and gently press down on it to deflate. With your hands, flatten dough into a rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let dough rest 5 minutes.
6. Using a floured 2 1/2-inch round biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out about 12 to 14 rounds of dough. With a floured spatula, gently transfer rounds to prepared baking sheet, reshaping them if necessary. Leave at least 1-inch between doughnuts to allow for expansion. Let doughnuts rise for about 20 minutes, or until almost doubled in size.

1. Pour enough oil in a deep-fat fryer or large straight-sided saucepan to come halfway up sides. Oil should be a depth of 2 to 3 inches. Heat oil to 365ºF. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
2. Dip a spatula in hot oil and use it to transfer doughnuts from baking sheet to oil. Fry doughnuts, 3 or 4 at a time, for 1 to 1 minute 30 seconds or until golden brown. (The midline of the doughnut will be lighter than the rest of it, which is characteristic.) Remove doughnuts from hot oil using a slotted spoon and transfer them to paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain and cool. When cool enough to handle, use a long, plain pastry tip to poke a hole through the midline of each doughnut. Let cool completely before filling.

1. Cook water, corn syrup and sugar in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat until mixture boils.
2. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Let stand 2 minutes. Whisk in butter until mixture is smooth.

1. Remove pastry cream from refrigerator and whisk cream until it is smooth. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1/4-inch round tip with pastry cream. Pipe pastry cream into hole in middle of each doughnut until pastry cream bulges out and doughnut feels full. Wipe off any excess cream. Place filled doughnuts on rack after they are filled.
2. Dip top of each filled doughnut into bowl of warm chocolate glaze, letting excess glaze drip back into bowl. Place glazed doughnuts back onto rack to set. The doughnuts are best when prepared and served on the same day.

-recipe courtesy of Godiva Chocolate

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History of the Cranberry

Massachusetts Cranberry Shortbread Cookie - photo by Deborah Austin

The cranberry, along with the blueberry and Concord grape, is one of North America’s three native fruits that are commercially grown. Cranberries were first used by Native Americans, who discovered the wild berry’s versatility as a food, fabric dye and healing agent. Today, cranberries are commercially grown throughout the northern part of the United States and are available in both fresh and processed forms.

The name “cranberry” derives from the Pilgrim name for the fruit, “craneberry”, so called because the small, pink blossoms that appear in the spring resemble the head and bill of a Sandhill crane. European settlers adopted the Native American uses for the fruit and found the berry a valuable bartering tool.

American whalers and mariners carried cranberries on their voyages to prevent scurvy. In 1816, Captain Henry Hall became the first to successfully cultivate cranberries. By 1871, the first association of cranberry growers in the United States had formed, and now, U.S. farmers harvest approximately 40,000 acres of cranberries each year.

Source: Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association

Adoption of the Massachusetts State Berry

Ingredients for Cranberry Filled Cookies

• 1 cup Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 4 cups Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
• 1 (3”) Cinnamon Stick
• 1 tablespoon Lavender
• 1 teaspoon Cardamom, ground
• 2 pkg. Pre-made Sugar Cookie Dough

Directions for Cranberry Filled Cookies

1. Combine cranberries, sugar, lavender, cardamom, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring.
2. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have burst, about 10 minutes.
3. Remove and discard cinnamon stick, then carefully transfer the cranberry mixture to a blender and puree until smooth (use caution when blending hot mixtures).
4. Cool the mixture in the refrigerator until completely cold.
5. Roll out 1 log of cookie dough until 1/4” thickness is achieved consistently.
6. Using a small round cookie cutter, cut out dough and transfer to a baking sheet, leaving 1/2” space between each cookie.
7. Place 1-2 t of the cranberry mixture in the center of each cookie.
8. Place another piece of round dough on top of the mixture and pinch the edges of the cookie together. (center of top piece can be cut out in a shape, if you choose.)
9. At this point the cookies may either be frozen to be baked at a later date, or bake in a 350*F oven for about 10-15 minutes or until a light golden brown.

Yield:
25-35 servings

Source: Jessica Drakulich, Johnson & Wales University

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Cranberry Sauce - image courtesy of the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association

Cranberry Juice was also adopted as the official State Beverage of the Commonwealth on May 4, 1970.

Ingredients for 5-Minute Cranberry:

• 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• ¼ cup water
• 2 cups sugar
• fresh lemon juice (1/4 lemon)

Directions for 5-Minute Cranberry:

1. Gather all ingredients.
2. Place cranberries in a saucepan with ¼ cup of water and cook over low heat until cranberries are soft and begin to pop.
3. Add the sugar and mix well.
4. Let simmer until mixture begins to thicken.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.
6. Place in serving dish, cover with plastic wrap and let cool.
7. Serve cold.

Source: Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association

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Wild Turkey is the state bird (or state game bird) of Alabama, Massachusetts, and South Carolina. Cooking wild turkey is a little different than cooking a standard store-bought turkey, because they are drier and have a smaller breast. It’s important to keep the bird moist when you cook it.

Ingredients for Wild Turkey

• 1 bird – wild turkey (prepared – gutted and feathers removed)
• 1/8 cup – Salt
• 1 cup – water
• 1 can – chicken broth
• Stuffing recipes – see below

Directions for baking a Wild Turkey

1. Salt the turkey. This is similar to brining but better. Rub salt all over the turkey skin, and then refrigerate it over night.
2. Remove the bird in the morning and stuff it with the bread and berry stuffing shown below
3. Pour chicken broth and water over the bird and into the stuffing cavity
4. Bake the bird at 325 degrees for 4 – 4-1/2 hours, or until tender. The drumstick should easily pull away from the bird when it’s ready.

Ingredients for Berry Stuffing

• Bread – any you have around (raisin bread is good too)
• Dried Cranberries
• Blueberries (fresh or canned)
• Blackberries (fresh) – optional
• Apples (diced) – optional
• Eggs – 1 or 2

Directions for Berry Stuffing

Take any bread you have laying around. It can be slightly stale, because it will be cooking inside the bird and picking up the juices from it. Mix in any berries that you like. They can be fresh or dried. I usually add dried cranberries, fresh blueberries, and strawberries or blackberries if they are in season. You can also use diced apples, and/or any other berries that you like. Then, take one or two eggs (depending on the amount of stuffing) and mix it all together. Then stuff the bird. To keep the stuffing in the bird, you can use the hell of a loaf of bread and slide it across the opening of the cavity after you stuff the bird.

This is a very loose recipe. I usually just eye the cavity and mix about 1/3 more than I think it will take because I also stuff the back end of the turkey and push some of the stuffing up under the skin on that end of the cavity. The berries help to keep the bird moist and makes the meat lightly sweet.

To keep the bird moist, seal it with aluminum foil to start will help the bird absorb some of the liquid. Remove the foil about halfway through the baking process to brown the bird. You can pour some chicken broth and or white wine over the bird while it’s baking to keep the bird extra moist.

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Hot Cross Buns - From Mother Goose:

Hot cross buns! Hot cross buns!
One ha” penny, two ha” penny,
Hot cross buns!

If you have no daughters, Give them to your sons
One ha” penny, Two ha” penny,
Hot Cross Buns!

History of the Hot Cross Bun

Originally these buns were supposed to be a Saxon tradition, marked with a cross in honor of the goddess Eostre, with the four quarters representing the four stages of the moon.  Early Christians adopted the buns as a way to honor the crucifixion of Christ.
These buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday before Easter.

Sharing a hot cross bun with another is supposed to ensure friendship throughout the coming year, particularly if “Half for you and half for me, Between us two shall goodwill be” is said at the time. Because of the cross on the buns, some say they should be kissed before being eaten.

Massachusetts – Agricultural Tie-In

Hot cross buns are popular in the state of Massachusetts where both grapes (raisins) and currants are grown as part of the state’s agricultural crop.

Hot Cross Buns

Cooking and Preparation Time: 3-1/2 hours

Yields: 24 buns

Ingredients

• 1 cup lowfat or whole milk
• 2 Tbsp yeast
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1-1/2  tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 4 eggs and 5 cups of flour
• 1-1/3 cup currants or raisins
• 1 egg white

Directions for Buns

1. In a small saucepan heat milk to approximately 110 degrees (very warm but not hot).
2. Pour milk into glass or ceramic bowl and dissolve yeast into the milk.
3. Let sit for approximately 5 minutes.
4. Add eggs, sugar, salt, butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg, beat at a medium speed.
5. Mix in flour gradually. Dough will be sticky at first.  Take out dough and knead for about 5-10 minutes, or until smooth.
6. Let dough rest in the bowl in a warm place, covered with plastic wrap, for about 35-45 minutes.
7. Knead the dough again until it’s smooth; approximately 3-5 minutes.
8. Knead in raisins or currants, and form dough into a ball, place it in a well-greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
   
   Note: The dough will be somewhat sticky when you refrigerate it, but the extra liquid will be absorbed by the morning.
9. Take out the dough the next morning and let it warm up to room temperature (at least 40 minutes or so).
10. Punch it down, knead it until smooth, divide the dough into 24 pieces (just keep dividing it in half). Shape the dough into balls, place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, then cover and let rise in a warm place (85°F), free from drafts, 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled in bulk.
11. When they have risen, preheat the oven to 400°F, cut the tops of the buns in the shape of a cross, brush with egg white, and bake in oven for 10 minutes.
12. Reduce oven to 350°F and bake for approximately 15 minutes, until golden brown.  Let cool slightly.
13. Glaze buns (see below)

Ingredients for the Glaze (you can use this one or your favorite)

• 1-1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp. finely chopped lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp. lemon extract
• 1-2 Tbsp milk

Directions for Glaze

1. Mix together the glaze ingredients with a whisk.
2. Spoon or pipe glaze over the hot cross buns along the sliced cross shape, while they’re warm.

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Photo courtesy of Ukanda.

The schoolchildren of Massachusetts petitioned the State Legislature to make the Corn Muffin, a staple of New England cooking, an official state symbol. In 1986 the state legislature.

Corn Muffins – Massachusetts State Muffin

Cooking and Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 9-18 Muffins

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup corn meal
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/4 cups milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175° C).
2. Grease or paper-line 18 muffin cups.
3. Combine flour, sugar, corn meal, baking powder and salt in medium bowl.
4. Combine milk, eggs, vegetable oil and butter in small bowl; mix well.
5. Add to flour mixture; stir just until blended.
6. Pour into prepared muffin cups, filling 2/3 full.
7. Bake for 8 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
8. Cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool slightly. Serve warm.

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Photo courtesy of Cara Fealy Choate

History of the Boston Cream Pie

The Boston Cream Pie as we know it come from the Parker House Hotel in Boston.  Up to that point there was a pudding cake that was similar, although the top was usually coated with powdered sugar, not chocolate. It was made with a white cake split and filled with a pudding or custard filling.

The Parker House chef,  Monsieur Sanzian, added a drizzled chocolate icing top layer in 1855 and, according to some sources, dressed up the look of the cake with almonds on the sides.

The Boston Cream Pie was named the Massachusetts State Dessert in 1996.

How to Make a Boston Cream Pie

Massachusetts State Dessert

Cooking and Preparation Time: 4 hours

Servings: 8-10

Pastry Cream Ingredients

• granulated white sugar
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/8 cup (20 grams) all-purpose flour
• Scant 3 tablespoons (20 grams) cornstarch
• 1-1/4 cups (300 ml) milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pastry Cream Directions

1. In a medium-sized stainless steel bowl, mix the sugar and egg yolks. (Do not let this mixture sit too long or you will get pieces of egg forming.) Sift the flour and cornstarch together and then add to the egg mixture, mixing until you get a smooth paste. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile in a small saucepan, bring the milk just to a boil over medium heat. Watch carefully and remove from heat just as the milk starts to foam up.)
3. Pour the milk slowly into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. (If you get a few pieces of egg (curdling) in the mixture, pour through a strainer.)
4. Place the egg mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly. When it boils, continue to whisk constantly for another 30 – 60 seconds until it becomes thick.
5. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. Pour into a clean bowl and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming.
6. Let the cream cool in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Sponge Cake Ingredients

• 5 large eggs
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (60 grams) plain cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1/4 cup (35 grams) all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Sponge Cake Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven.
2. Butter and line the bottoms of two – 8 inch (23 cm) round cake pans with parchment paper.
3. While the eggs are still cold separate three of the eggs, placing the yolks in the whites in another bowl. To the yolks, add the two remaining eggs.
4. Cover the two bowls with plastic wrap and allow the eggs to come to room temperature before using (about 30 minutes).
5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the flours, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
6. Place the milk and butter in a small saucepan, over low heat, and warm until the butter melts.
7. Remove from heat, cover, and keep warm.
8. In your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, (or with a hand mixer) beat the whole eggs and yolks and 6 tablespoons (75 grams) of the sugar.
9. In another clean mixing bowl, with the whisk attachment, (or with a hand mixer) beat the egg whites and cream of tartar, at low speed, until foamy.
10. Increase the speed to medium-high and gradually add the remaining sugar, beating until soft, moist peaks form.
11. Gently fold a little of the whites into the batter to lighten it, and then add the rest of the whites, folding just until incorporated.
12. Sift half of the flour mixture over the top of the batter and gently fold through with a rubber spatula or whisk.
13. Sift the remaining flour over the batter and fold in. Do not over mix.
14. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans, smoothing the tops, and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until light brown and springy to the touch. (A toothpick inserted in the middle will come out clean.)
15. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
16. When the cakes have cooled and you are ready to assemble the Boston Cream Pie, make the Chocolate Glaze below:

Chocolate Glaze Ingredients

• 4 ounces (120 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter

Chocolate Glaze Directions

1. Place the chopped chocolate in a small heatproof bowl.
2. Bring the cream and butter just to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat.
3. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for a 3-5 minutes. Gently stir until smooth.
4. Set aside for a few minutes until it has thickened to a pouring consistency.

Assembling the Boston Cream Pie

1. Spoon the pastry cream onto the cake, spreading to make an even layer.
2. Place the second cake layer (bottom side up) onto the filling.
3. Pour the glaze onto the center of the cake, and carefully spread the glaze, with an offset spatula, to the edges of the cake, allowing the glaze to drip down the sides.
4. Let the cake sit until the glaze sets, about one hour. Serve.
   This cake is best eaten the same day it is made. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.

Source: -From the Joy of Baking

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The Chocolate Chip Cookie was designated the official cookie of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on July 9, 1997. A third grade class from Somerset proposed the bill to honor the cookie invented in 1930 at the Toll House Restaurant in Whitman

Chocolate Chip Cookie

Massachusetts State Cookie

Cooking and Preparation Time:
40 minutes

Yields: Approximately 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLE TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 375° F.
2. COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
3. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts.
6. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
7. BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

PAN COOKIE VARIATION

1. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.
2. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Cool in pan on wire rack.

* May be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week or in freezer for up to 8 weeks.

FOR HIGH ALTITUDE BAKING (5,200 feet): Increase flour to 2 1/2 cups. Add 2 teaspoons water with flour and reduce both granulated sugar and brown sugar to 2/3 cup each. Bake drop cookies for 8 to 10 minutes and pan cookie for 17 to 19 minutes.

Recipe and image courtesy of Nestle Toll House Cookies

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