Boston Cream Pie

In a saucepan, whisk the 2 cups of the milk and sugar together. Place
the pan over medium heat and bring the liquid up to a simmer. Whisk
the egg yolks together. Temper the hot milk into the egg yolks. Whisk
the egg mixture into the hot milk mixture. In a small bowl, dissolve
the cornstarch in the remaining milk, making a slurry. Whisk the
slurry into the hot milk mixture. Bring the liquid up to a boil and
reduce to a simmer. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until the
filling is thick, about 4 to 6 minutes. Fold in the vanilla, and
butter. Mix well.

Sponge cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small sauce pan, heat the
milk and 2 tablespoons butter together. Using an electric mixer
fitted with a wire whip, combine the eggs and sugar together. Beat on
medium-high speed for about 8 minutes, or until the mixture is pale
yellow, thick and has tripled in volume. With the machine running
slowly add the heated milk. In a mixing bowl sift the flour, baking
powder, and salt together. Fold the flour mixture into the egg
mixture and mix thoroughly so that there are no lumps and the mixture
is smooth. Fold in the vanilla. Grease 2 each 9-inch round cake pans
with 2 tablespoons of butter. Sprinkle each with a tablespoon of
sugar. Pour the cake batter evenly into the pans and bake for about
25 minutes, or until the cakes spring back when touched. Cool for
about 2 minutes. Using a thin knife, loosen the edges of the cakes,
then flip onto a wire rack. When the cakes have cooled completely,
slice each cake in half. To assemble, place the bottom layer on a
9-inch round cardboard and place it on a wire rack. Spread 1 1/2 cups
of the pastry cream evenly on top of the layer. Top with the second
layer of cake. Spread 1 1/2 cups of pastry cream on it. Repeat the
same process with the third layer. Top with the fourth layer. If
necessary, shave off any uneven pieces of cake with a serrated knife
so that it is smooth and even on all sides. Frost the entire cake
with the chocolate fondant. Place the cake in the refrigerator and
chill completely. Slice the cake into 16 slices.

Yield: 16 slices