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Gâteau basque
Cream-filled butter cake
Basque Country's butter cake filled with vanilla cream (gâteau basque à la crème)
Cambo-les-Bains and the inland villages of the Labourd claim the gâteau basque, and bakeries across the Basque Country sell it in two versions, filled with black cherry jam from Itxassou or with thick pastry cream, marked with a criss-cross or a Basque cross on top. Families buy one for Sunday lunch and cut it at room temperature with coffee. Its crust is halfway between shortbread and cake, golden and crumbly, wrapped round a soft vanilla centre. Some bakers flavour the cream with rum; this one uses vanilla and almond extract and is alcohol-free. For the cherry version, swap the cream for 300 g thick black cherry jam. Chef's tip: chill the dough well before rolling; it is soft and buttery and tears when warm.
- Total time
- 105 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the pastry cream
- 1 ¾ cups whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ oz caster sugar
- 1 ¼ oz cornflour
- ¼ tsp almond extract
For the dough
- 5 ½ oz unsalted buttersoft
- 5 ½ oz caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp lemon zestfinely grated
- 10 oz plain flour
- 1 ¾ oz ground almonds
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
To glaze
- 1 egg yolkbeaten with 1 tsp milk
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat 1 ¾ cups whole milk with 2 tsp vanilla extract until steaming. Whisk 3 egg yolks, 2 ½ oz caster sugar and 1 ¼ oz cornflour in a bowl, pour on the hot milk while whisking, then return to the pan.
5 minStep 2: Whisk over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes, until it bubbles and turns very thick. Stir in ¼ tsp almond extract, press cling film onto the surface and chill until cold.
5 minStep 3: Beat 5 ½ oz unsalted butter and 5 ½ oz caster sugar until pale and creamy, then beat in 1 egg, 1 egg yolk and 1 tsp lemon zest. Mix in 10 oz plain flour, 1 ¾ oz ground almonds, 1 tsp baking powder and 1 pinch salt to a soft dough. Divide into two pieces, one slightly larger, wrap and chill for 1 hour.
70 minStep 4: Heat the oven to 350°F (300°F fan). Butter a 22 cm round cake tin and line the base.
Step 5: Roll the larger piece of dough between two sheets of baking paper into a 27 cm circle and line the tin, letting it come 2 cm up the sides. Spread in the cold pastry cream, leaving a 1 cm rim.
Step 6: Roll the second piece into a 22 cm circle, lay it on top and press the edges together firmly to seal. Common mistake: leaving gaps at the edge, which lets the cream bubble out and the top split.
5 minStep 7: Brush with 1 egg yolk and score a criss-cross pattern on top with a fork.
Step 8: Bake for 40–45 minutes, until deep golden all over. Cool completely in the tin before turning out; the filling sets as it cools.
45 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gâteau basque take?
- About 105 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of vanilla extract?
- Vanilla bean paste, same amount.
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