Boston Cream Pie

-FOR THE CUSTARD-
3 tb Cornstarch
1/3 c Sugar
1 c Milk
3 lg Eggs
1/2 c Heavy cream
1/4 ts Salt
1 Vanilla bean; split
-lengthwise
3 tb Unsalted butter

FOR THE GLAZE
6 oz Fine-quality bittersweet
-chocolate; (not
-unsweetened),
; brokeninto pieces
3 tb Water
2 tb Unsalted butter
1 1/2 tb Light corn syrup
1/4 ts Salt
Seasonal fruit and blossoms;
-(non-toxic only) for
; garnish

Make the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350F. and butter and flour a 9 1/2-inch
springform pan. In a bowl with an electric mixer cream together the
butter, the sugar, and the vanilla until the mixture is light and
fluffy and beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each
addition. Into another bowl sift together the flour, the baking
powder, and the salt and beat the mixture into the butter mixture in
batches alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the
flour mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and
bake the cake in the middle of the oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or
until a tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a
rack.

Make the custard:

In a saucepan whisk together the cornstarch, the sugar, and the milk,
add the eggs, the cream, and the salt, and whisk the mixture until it
is smooth. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean, reserving the pod
for another use, add them to the cream mixture, and bring the custard
to a boil over moderate heat, whisking constantly. Boil the custard,
whisking, for 2 minutes, remove the pan from the heat, and whisk in
the butter. Let the custard cool completely, whisking occasionally.

Make the glaze:

In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt the
chocolate with the water, the butter, the corn syrup, and the salt,
stirring until glaze is smooth, and remove the bowl from the pan.

Remove the cake from the pan, halve it horizontally with a long
serrated knife, and arrange the bottom half, cut side up, on a plate.
Top the bottom half with the custard, spreading the custard to the
edge, put the remaining cake half, cut side down, on the custard, and
pour the glaze on top of it, spreading the glaze to the edge and
letting it drip down the side. The Boston cream pie may be made 1 day
in advance and kept covered loosely and chilled. Garnish the pie with
the fruit and the blossoms.