Gâteau Basque With Armagnac Prunes 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!

PRUNE ARMAGNAC CLAFOUTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 10-by-1 1/2-inch round baking dish with the butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.
• In a small bowl, combine the prunes with 2 tablespoons of Armagnac and microwave on high for 1 minute. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and 1/3 cup granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light and thick. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine the cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon Armagnac in a glass measuring cup. On low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter and then add the liquid ingredients, mixing well. Set aside for 10 minutes
• Distribute the prunes in the prepared pan and carefully pour on the batter. Sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, and serve warm.

GATEAU BASQUE

Steps:

• Make the pastry cream: Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk together milk and egg yolks in a glass measuring cup. Add milk mixture to the saucepan, along with butter. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a simmer. Continue to cook until it comes to a boil. Let boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and add vanilla and brandy.
• Strain pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Just before using, whisk until smooth.
• Make the cake: Combine cherries and brandy in a small bowl; let soak 1 hour.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk pate brisee to a 13-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Fit into a 9-inch round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom leaving edges to overhang. Freeze 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place pastry cream in a large bowl. Stir with a rubber spatula to loosen. Pour into chilled crust, spreading evenly with an offset spatula. Drain cherries and scatter evenly over pastry cream.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining disk of pate brisee to a 13-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Score surface in a diamond pattern with the edge of a ruler. Lightly brush overhanging edge with egg and top with scored pastry. Press to seal and trim dough along edge of tart pan. Lightly brush top with egg wash. Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 1 hour 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 20 minutes on a wire rack. Remove tart ring and cool completely on rack. Serve at room temperature.

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.

PRUNES IN ARMAGNAC

Steps:

• Place 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes. Discard the tea bags, add the prunes and honey, turn the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 3 minutes to plump the prunes.
• Pour the prunes and all the liquid into a medium bowl and stir in the Armagnac, vanilla, orange juice, vanilla bean, and cinnamon sticks. With a vegetable peeler, cut 4 large strips of zest from 1 lemon and add to the mixture. Cut the lemon in half, cut 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices, and add to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 6 to 12 hours. (If you're not serving the prunes that day, refrigerate them in their liquid.)
• To serve, place the prunes in shallow dessert bowls and serve cold, at room temperature, or slightly warmed, spooning the macerating liquid over them. Add a scoop of ice cream, a drizzle of Armagnac, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkling of grated lemon zest. (You'll be surprised how much flavor this adds!) Serve immediately.

CHERRY GâTEAU BASQUE

Steps:

• To make the dough, in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the flour, almonds, baking powder, salt, and sugar until the almonds are ground to a powder. Add the butter and process until the butter is in tiny pieces.
• Add the egg, egg yolk, and the vanilla and almond extracts and pulse until the dough comes together. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, one slightly larger than the other, form each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan, dust it with flour, and tap out any excess.
• To make the filling, in a small bowl, mix the cherry jam, rum, brandy, and anise-flavored liqueur. Set aside.
• Dust the larger disk of dough on both sides with flour and roll it out to a 10-inch (25-cm) circle between 2 sheets of lightly floured plastic wrap. Peel off the top sheet of plastic and invert the dough into the prepared pan. Peel off the sheet of plastic that is now on top and press the dough gently into the bottom of the pan and partially up the sides. Don't worry if the dough tears; it's very forgiving-just patch and press together. Spread the filling over the dough, leaving a 1-inch (3-cm) border.
• Roll out the second piece of dough between 2 sheets of lightly floured plastic wrap. Peel off the top sheet of plastic and invert the dough over the filling. Peel off the sheet of plastic that's now on top. Gently press the edges together to enclose the filling.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and milk and brush it liberally over the top. Rake the tines of a fork 5 or 6 times over the surface in two diagonally opposing directions to create a crosshatch design.
• Bake the cake until the top is deep golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, then run a knife around the sides to loosen it from the pan. Release the sides of the springform pan and let cool completely. Cut into wedges and serve.
• Storage
• Gâteau Basque is actually better the second day, after the flavors have had a chance to meld. Wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, it'll keep for about 1 week at room temperature.
• Variation
• A prune filling for gâteau Basque isn't exactly traditional, but since the nearby Gascon region is famous for its prunes, I'll often make a filling with them: Quarter 8 ounces (225 g) of pitted prunes; heat them in a small saucepan with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) brandy, 1 tablespoon rum, 1 tablespoon anise-flavored liqueur, 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar, and 1/4 cup (60 ml) water. When the liquid comes to a boil, cover, and remove from the heat. Once cool, process the mixture in a food processor fitted with the metal blade until chunky and use in place of the cherry jam.
• tip
• Use a top-quality sour cherry jam. The less-expensive ones are primarily sugar and are too runny-you want a filling that's plump with flavorful cherries. If you can't find sour cherry jam, add a squirt of lemon juice to regular cherry jam.