Total cooking time: about 2-3 hours
Serving size: 4 adults
A flaky crust surrounds a pastry cream in this traditional dessert from the Basque region of France. The name means simply “Basque Cake.” In the Basque language, the cake is called “Etxeko biskotxa” or “cake of the house.”
According to Mark Kurlansky, author of The Basque History of the World, gâteau Basque appears to date from the eighteenth century, may have originally been made with bread, and called bistochak.
Oven
Refrigerator
9-inch springform pan
Stand mixer
The early version of today's gâteau basque are credited to Marianne Hirigoyen, a pastry chef from Cambo who would sell her cakes in the Bayonne markets. Meteorically, the cakes became a huge success, to the point that Hirigoyen was nicknamed "the Basque Cakewoman."
The early version of today's gâteau basque are credited to Marianne Hirigoyen, a pastry chef from Cambo who would sell her cakes in the Bayonne markets. Meteorically, the cakes became a huge success, to the point that Hirigoyen was nicknamed "the Basque Cakewoman."