Gâteau Basque with Armagnac Prunes

Name: Gâteau Basque with Armagnac Prunes
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup almond meal; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 cup granulated sugar; 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan; 1 extra-large egg; 3 extra-large egg yolks; 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest; 2 tablespoons Pernod; Basque pastry cream, cooled (recipe follows); 1 cup heavy cream; 1/4 cup crème fraîche; Armagnac prunes (recipe follows); 1 1/2 cups whole milk; 3 extra-large egg yolks; 6 tablespoons granulated sugar; 2 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted; 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 teaspoons dark rum; 2 teaspoons Armagnac; 1 teaspoon orange-flower water; 1 teaspoon pure almond extract; 1/2 pound pitted prunes; 1 1/2 cups hot black tea; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1/4 cup Armagnac

January 24, 2012

The first time I had gâteau basque, I was living in the southwest of France and trying, in my little spare time, to sample as many of the local treats as possible. Gâteau basque, a very moist, buttery cake with a certain je ne sais quoi, was by far my favorite. Despite its name, it’s not really a gâteau, or cake, but rather two layers of buttery, crumbly crust filled with pastry cream. As it bakes, the crust and filling meld into one delicious whole. This rural dessert has many interpretations, with fillings that vary from almonds to raisins to fruit jams. For this version our first pastry chef, Sara Lauren, came up with a pastry cream spiked with an unusual combination of Armagnac, rum, orange-flower water, and almond extract. The cake doesn’t taste like any one of those flavorings, but together they somehow evoke that unforgettable flavor of the Basque country.

Cooks' Note

The pastry dough must be made at least 2 hours before assembling the gâteau. It’s a good idea to make the pastry cream in advance as well, as it must be chilled before using.

Recipe notes

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