By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 11, 2026
Serves 4
525 cal · 1440 min
Boston Cream Pie Ice Cream
Recipe GLPRc128b490e71c19
A decadent frozen dessert inspired by the classic Boston cream pie. Smooth vanilla custard ice cream is layered with tender yellow cake cubes, silky pastry cream, and rich chocolate fudge sauce, creating a sophisticated treat that captures all the flavors of the beloved bakery original.
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Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
5 egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup yellow cake cubes
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Chocolate fudge sauce
Directions
Pour 1 cup of the heavy cream into a medium bowl and place a mesh strainer on top. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the whole milk, remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt. Stir frequently until the sugar dissolves completely.
In a small bowl, whisk together the 5 egg yolks. When the milk mixture begins to steam, slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot milk into the egg yolks while whisking constantly to temper them without scrambling.
Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula or wooden spoon until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon (160°F internal temperature).
Immediately pour the custard through the mesh strainer into the reserved 1 cup of heavy cream. Set the bowl over an ice bath and stir occasionally until cooled. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
While the ice cream base chills, prepare the pastry cream. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/2 cup milk and 1 tablespoon of sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Mix in the flour, salt, and vanilla extract, stirring until smooth. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and set aside. When the milk mixture is steaming, slowly drizzle it into the reserved egg yolks while whisking constantly.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly until thickened (160°F internal temperature).
Remove from heat, add the butter, and stir until fully incorporated and the pastry cream is smooth. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to cool completely.
Cut the yellow cake into 1-inch cubes and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze for 30 minutes.
Churn the chilled ice cream base according to your ice cream maker's instructions.
While the ice cream churns, gently warm the chocolate fudge sauce to a liquid consistency and allow it to cool slightly.
In a freezer-safe container, create alternating layers starting with a layer of churned ice cream, followed by frozen cake cubes, pastry cream, and chocolate fudge sauce. Repeat the layers, ending with a final layer of ice cream. Do not stir the layers.
Cover the container tightly and freeze until completely solid, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Comments
This recipe requires churning time that the 1440-minute title acknowledges but masks the real lift: you're looking at active prep for custard and cake, then hours of chilling and churning before serving, making it a two-day project rather than a weeknight option. All ingredients are standard pantry and dairy staples available at any Charlotte chain—Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Walmart, ALDI, and Kroger all stock whole milk, heavy cream, eggs, and chocolate sauce—so no special stops needed. The cost per serving stays reasonable since eggs, milk, and butter are cheap, though the custard base and from-scratch cake do add labor and ingredient volume; budget roughly $3–4 per serving depending on chocolate sauce choice. This is a showstopper dessert for a planned gathering, not a spontaneous family treat, and leftovers freeze well for a week or two, but the texture degrades slightly with time, so best eaten fresh within a day or two of assembly.
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