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Gâteau Basque & 1 Year of What’s Cooking

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Gâteau Basque originated in the 17th century. Although traditionally made with only pastry cream, it was common in old times to fill the pastry with jam made from black cherries from the village of Itxassou near Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, where they celebrate with a cherry festival in June. It’s one of those dishes that has evolved with the world in which it travels. You can eat it civilly with hot coffee for a merienda or like I do, by the spoonful right out of the pan. The most amazing part of this gateau is that it came out so well and I made it from scratch. A year ago I had never baked at all. What a difference a year makes.

Ingenuity and daring are born out of support and a certain disregard of criticism. I have been incredibly grateful to have discovered and re-discovered the creative parts of myself through the creation of this site a little over a year ago. I’ve developed my own voice in various disciplines, discovered a new lens through which to view food and cultivated a certain fearlessness in experimentation. I’ve fallen in love with learning about all the bounty that nature has to offer and all of the ingenious ways in which we humans have thought to use that bounty across cultural divides. Failure has become just another attempt at something and no longer holds (much) power over me. When things don’t turn out right, I’ve learned to ask, “how can I do it better?” or “what can I do differently?” rather than unleashing an excoriating monologue in my head and burning through a list of personal faults. That’s no way to live.  After all, failure is only failure if you haven’t grown from the experience. I’ve also come to know some incredible, intelligent, generous, supportive and passionate people (writers, photographers, cooks, travelers, etc) both in person and online that I would never have met were it not for the blog. It’s absolutely amazing and they keep me coming back daily.

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In embarking upon this process, I’ve also learned to pay attention to the seasons. There are lessons to be learned there. The precious short-seasoned fruits and veggies beckon me to celebrate them by using them in everything I can, like berries, figs, tomatoes, scapes and summer squash. I mourn their passing less if I know I’ve made the most of my short time with them. It eases the blow of the natural cycle of comings and goings that are so much a part of life. The hearty veggies like potatoes, radishes and kale that hang around, remind you that they have seen all of your false moves and also demonstrate an admirable resilience and endurance. You can depend on them. Nature really has thought of everything.

In celebration of the blogiversary, I bring you Gâteau Basque. Emblematic of a new skill, sweet and tart, crusty yet soft, French and Spanish. Everything you could possibly want in a baked good, except maybe chocolate. That we can save for next year. If you follow this recipe to the letter, you will not regret it!

A caveat: I don’t own any beautiful bake ware, or bake ware at all for that matter. I had to go to the store late at night and all they had was disposable pie pans. I’m not too proud to use them. Now people know what to bring my blog for its birthday!

Gâteau Basque adapted from Daniel Bouloud’s Gâteau Basque from Food & Wine

DOUGH

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 ounces (1 stick-8 tablespoons) butter at room temperature
  • finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

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Directions:

Place the sugar, butter, lemon zest and salt in a food processor and pulse until it is blended. Add the egg and egg yolk and pulse until mixed. Whisk together the flour and baking powder and add to the processor and pulse until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and divide it into 2 pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Pat the dough into disks and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.

PASTRY CREAM

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Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon +1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

For later you will also need preserved whole cherries and/or high quality cherry jam/preserves. And for the egg wash 1 egg yolk combined with 1 tablespoon milk.

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Directions:

Whisk the sugar with the egg yolks until pale. Add the flour and cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Heat the milk just until it starts to show signs of coming to a boil. Gradually add half of the hot milk to the sugar-yolk mixture, whisking vigorously to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Take off the heat and stir in the butter. Add the vanilla extract and almond extract. Pour into a bowl and cool slightly. Press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface and refrigerate until chilled and firm.

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Assembly:

Remove dough from fridge and let it sit for a few minutes to take the chill off. Butter a 9 by 1 inch baking pan, flan ring or pie pan and set it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Working between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper and a bit of flour, roll out the larger piece of dough to about an 11-inch round. east the dough onto the flan ring, pressing into the bottom and up the sides, leaving a slight overhang. Spread a layer of cherry preserves evenly over the bottom of the tart shell. Layer the pastry cream over the preserves and spread carefully. Roll out the second piece of dough to a 10-inch round an lay it over the pastry cream. Pinch the edges of the top and bottom crusts together to seal the crusts and trim the overhang. Using a knife, score the top crust in a decorative crosshatch pattern. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325F.

Brush the gâteau with an egg wash made by combining the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon milk. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Let the tart cool completely on a wire rack. Unmold to serve.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Maria Dernikos

    Perfect recipe for such a wonderful celebration. Congratulations on your anniversary. I am drinking a cup of tea while reading and would happily share a slice with you it looks delicious with a capital D.

    • Amanda

      Thanks so much, Maria. You’re one of the awesome people to which I refer. I really am amazed by how much I’ve grown from the process and how much the support of people who also love the same things, but know more or have a different specialty really influence me. This cake was fab.

      • Maria Dernikos

        That’s very kind of you but there a many more talented writers on this amazing thing called the internet than me. The cake does look fabulous and I think you picked a brilliant recipe because the pictures and the writing shine through.

    • Amanda

      Aww thanks you Joseph! I love reading your blog as well. I’m constantly trying to improve it, learn important lessons from it and make it something people want to come back to. I love the stories you tell on yours and it inspires me to tell my own.

  5. Fig & Quince

    Happy blogversary Amanda! Beautifully written post. Your presence in the blogosphere is a present!

    • Amanda

      Thanks so much. You are too kind. Your cooking and writing have inspired me a lot. I thought of you yesterday when I rode my bike through traffic!

      • Fig & Quince

        I was riding the bike in the city yesterday too – and quite a few vehicles drive by way too close for comfort, gosh darn it. Have you tried the Hudson Park trail? it’s glorious, now that’s more like it.

  9. Darya

    Happy Blog anniversary, Amanda! You already know how much I enjoy every one of your posts (recipes and text), your experiments, your eclectic taste, and your pictures of upstate New York. I am so happy I found your blog, and am looking forward to many more mouth-watering posts!
    I do think will have to purchase at least one baking dish, as you will probably be making this gâteau basque again, as well as many more gâteaux in the future! It looks absolutely delicious!

    • Amanda

      Thanks so much! I absolutely feel the same about you and your tastes and blog and stories. You’re an inspiration and so encouraging!

  10. Fae's Twist & Tango

    Happy Blog Anniversary, Amanda!
    – You have created and maintained a very quality blog which I visit with pleasure and look forward to the new posts.
    – You have picked a wonderful recipe, Gâteau Basque for this momentous post. Frankly, your Gâteau Basque looks far better than Mr. Daniel Bouloud’s. 😉 Yours look very delectable! 😛

    • Amanda

      Aw. Thank you, fae! I really appreciate it. Your magazine is so generous when it comes to recipes and recognition. That kind of sharing is what inspires a great community. Thank you.

  12. Johnnysenough Hepburn

    Congrats on your first year! Let there be lots more. Like you I’ve started baking late, although I was taught some at college. Isn’t it great, especially when things actually do turn out really well? And to me it doesn’t matter an iota about the cake tin! I’m slowly buying in what I can find on sale, or second-hand (vintage, as some call it).

    This sounds heavenly for me. If I can find some cherries!

    • Amanda

      Thanks, Johnny! I’m so glad I recently found your blog. You’re such a talented cook and photographer and so receptive to comments. It’s a real joy to read. I’m really am grateful for this amazing community of people.

  13. Chica Andaluza

    Can’t beliebe that you hadn’t baked a year ago – you were born to bake (and blog)! Congrats on a year of blogging, cooking, learning and sharing – and on an absolutely stunning recipe.

    • Amanda

      Thank you, Chica. It’s nice to hear that from you. I have received some negative feedback from a few people actually (“why don’t you just post the recipes. . Why does everything have to be so. .. personal?”) It made me want to stop or pull back some of my commentary, but I think it’s just my stinging ego. Cooking is personal. Sometimes it’s about the food and sometimes it’s about the story behind it.

      • Chica Andaluza

        Oh dear, I’m so surprised at the negative feedback. Fortunately I’ve never experienced that. I think blogging is about opening a little window on your life and it’s down to you to share as much or as little of it as you choose. People can then take what they want from your blog. I also find that with food blogs (as they are generally written by people who are passionate about what they cook and share with their loved ones) there’s often a good story behind a meal or recipe and that’s what makes it all the more special. You keep doing what you’re doing (please)!

        • Amanda

          Gracias, Chica. I think you’re right. It’s usually the more private people in my life who are wondering why I do what I do. It’s not negative feedback so much as “i don’t get it”. As long as I enjoy it, i’ll keep going. I’m overwhelmed by how generous everyone was with their well-wishes on this blogiversary post! I love reading your adventures as well as your recipes too, so you make a good point!

  15. A Taste of Wintergreen

    The gateau is lovely. Pure beauty. As is your post. The bit about failing and learning put me in mind of a quote I love by Sophocles – a concept which I think we don’t pay enough heed to any more – “Rather fail with honour than succeed by fraud.”

    • Amanda

      Thanks so much. I totally agree. You kind of need that mindset in everything. I play a lot of tennis and I’d rather go down swinging than win playing all tight and untrue to my potential. It really is an exercise though to not get down on yourself. Thank you for your comment.

    • Amanda

      Thanks so much. That is really sweet of you. I’m so glad that you’re discovering it! Sometimes I really do feel like I’m writing into a void. And I’m okay with that, I just like to share too 🙂

  19. Hannah

    Congratulations, Amanda! Your blog is just lovely and I enjoy it immensely. And you’re sharing such a sumptuous sweet with us here…I’d happily eat a slice with my coffee right now.

    • Amanda

      Thank you, Hannah! I love your blog as well. I was so glad to discover it. I really appreciate you dropping by from time to time to weigh in. 🙂

    • Amanda

      Thank you! I’m glad you’re checking out the blog now. I really appreciate your comments. It’s thoughtful people like you that make me want to keep on going.