Basque Apple Cake Recipes

GâTEAU BASQUE RECIPE

Steps:

• Bring the milk to a boil in a medium saucepan along with the orange zest.
• In a separate mixing bowl, mix together the vanilla extract, egg, extra egg yolk, flour, cornstarch, and sugar. It should form a paste.
• Add the milk mixture to the mixing bowl and stir thoroughly to combine.
• Pour back into the saucepan, place back over heat and continue to whisk. Bring back to a boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until slightly thickened, whisking the whole time.
• Strain through a sieve into a sealable container and chill in the fridge.
• Mix the flour and baking powder together in a large mixing bowl.
• In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.
• Add the eggs (not the extra yolk) one at a time, continuing to beat.
• Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until smooth and completely combined.
• Transfer to a piping bag.
• Grease and line an 18-cm (7 inch) cake tin. Lightly dust the base and sides of the tin with flour after lining with baking parchment.
• Take the piping bag and carefully pipe a spiral of gateau mix to completely cover the base of the tin. Pipe a single circle around the outside of the tin to a height of just over 2 centimeters (1 inch).
• Fill the center of the tin with the pastry cream, smoothing down evenly.
• Pipe the remaining cake mix over the top of the pastry cream to seal, making sure the top is smooth and even. Place in the fridge to chill for at least 15 minutes, and preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Take the tin out of the fridge.
• Combine the remaining egg yolk and 1/4 cup of milk, whisking slightly to mix evenly. Brush evenly over the top of the cake and use a fork or knife to score a faint diamond pattern on top. Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool. Serve by itself or with a fruit jam!

BASQUE CAKE

Steps:

• To Make the pastry cream Filling: In a sauce pan, combine the milk and 1/3 cup of sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons flour. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
• Mix 1/2 cup of hot milk into egg mixture, then pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the hot milk. Return to heat and bring to a boil. Continue cooking over medium heat until mixture thickens and becomes smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch springform pan. Combine and sift the flour and baking powder. Set aside
• Cream 1 1/8 cup sugar and 3 eggs until light and fluffy. Fold in the sifted flour mixture in three increments, being careful not to overmix.
• Put half of the dough into the greased pan. Spread the dough so that it covers the bottom of the pan. Place pastry cream to within 3/4 inch of the edge. Add the second half of the cake dough, making sure to enclose all of the filling.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.

GâTEAU BASQUE

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.

BASQUE APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Cake: Mix sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Add flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. Add diced apples and nuts. Bake in greased 9x13-inch pan at 375° for one hour. Frosting: Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, margarine, and vanilla until smooth. Frost cooled cake.