GâTEAU BASQUE
Bixente Marichular, founder of the Musée du Gâteau Basque in Sare, France, says the pastry is part of Basque patrimony: Every family has a recipe, and every family thinks theirs is the best. This version, made with ingredients from an American supermarket, follows the tradition of sandwiching two rounds of rolled-out dough with jam. In the Pays Basque, where the filling is sometimes pastry cream, the jam is usually local black cherry. Once baked, the texture of the "cake" - never mind that it's about as much cake as Boston cream pie is pie - is a mix of crumbly, tender and chewy. Since gâteau Basque is a casual treat, eating it with your fingers is allowed.
Provided by Dorie Greenspan
Categories snack, cakes, dessert
Time 1h30m
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Working with a mixer (use a paddle attachment if you have one), beat together the butter and both sugars on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, and beat for another 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla; the mixture should be smooth. Add the flour mixture all at once, then pulse the mixer to begin incorporating it. Mix on low until blended.
- Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather into a ball, then divide in half.
- Shape each piece into a disk - the dough will be sticky - and put each between sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll each piece into a round just a smidge wider than 8 inches. Keeping the dough sandwiched between the parchment, refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or for up to 3 days).
- When you're ready to bake, center a rack in the oven, and heat to 350 degrees. Generously butter an 8-inch-by-2-inch round cake pan. Remove the dough from the fridge, and leave on the counter until pliable, about 10 minutes. Peel away the paper.
- Fit one round into the pan; if it breaks, just press the pieces together. Either fold the extra dough over and onto the base or trim it; don't fuss about precision here. Spread about 3/4 cup of the jam over the base, leaving a 1-inch border bare and adding more jam, if needed.
- Top with the second piece of dough, lightly pressing down around the edges and, if you can, tucking the dough under a bit. Again, it doesn't have to be perfect; the dough is soft, and as if by magic, the layers fuse in the oven.
- Brush the top with the egg wash, and use the tines of a fork to etch a crosshatch pattern.
- Bake the cake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Transfer to a rack, and let rest for 5 minutes, then carefully run a table knife around the edge of the cake. Unmold onto the rack, and then quickly and carefully turn the cake over onto another rack, crosshatch side up, so that it can cool to room temperature. Wrapped well, the cake will keep for 2 days at room temperature.
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Uzair Abbasi
[email protected]This Gâteau Basque was okay. The pastry was flaky but the filling was not creamy. I will not be making this again.
Jayonni Redbird
[email protected]I was disappointed with this Gâteau Basque recipe. The pastry was not flaky and the filling was not creamy. I will not be making this again.
Sagar Bisokarma
[email protected]This Gâteau Basque was a bit too sweet for my taste, but the pastry was so flaky and the filling was so creamy. I will definitely be making this again, but I will reduce the amount of sugar in the filling.
Mehedi Hasan Agun (Starting from the end)
[email protected]I'm so glad I tried this Gâteau Basque recipe! The pastry was so flaky and the filling was so creamy and delicious. I will definitely be making this again.
Bir Karki
[email protected]This Gâteau Basque was a bit more work than I expected, but it was definitely worth it! The pastry was so flaky and the filling was so creamy and delicious. I will definitely be making this again.
Danish Alii
[email protected]I was so excited to try this Gâteau Basque recipe and it did not disappoint! The pastry was so flaky and the filling was so creamy and delicious. I will definitely be making this again.
Leah Provance
[email protected]This Gâteau Basque is a real crowd-pleaser. I've made it for both casual gatherings and special occasions and it's always a hit. The pastry is so flaky and the filling is so creamy and delicious. I highly recommend this recipe!
BLK FFA
[email protected]I've made this Gâteau Basque several times now and it always turns out perfect. It's such a versatile recipe that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. I love serving it with fresh berries and whipped cream.
Dalton Bruner
[email protected]This Gâteau Basque was so easy to make and it turned out so delicious! I love the simple, rustic flavor. I will definitely be making this again.
Sohaib Mahar
[email protected]I made this Gâteau Basque for a party last weekend and it was a huge hit! Everyone loved it. The pastry was so light and fluffy, and the filling was so creamy and delicious. I will definitely be making this again.
Sugon Khan
[email protected]This is such an amazing Gâteau Basque recipe! The pastry is so flaky and buttery, and the filling is just perfect. I love the combination of the sweet and tart flavors. I will definitely be making this again!