Nevada Basque Recipes

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.

BASQUE CAKE

Steps:

• Pastry: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Sift together flours and baking powder.
• Stir in ground almonds.
• In a food processor combine flour mixture with cold butter.
• Pulse several times until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• In a small bowl whisk together whole egg, egg yolks and sugar until smooth.
• Add to flour mixture and pulse again until mixture comes together.
• Turn onto a lightly floured surface.
• Divide dough in half.
• Roll out each half into quarter inch thick 10-inch circles.
• Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
• Pastry Cream: In a medium bowl whisk together first amount of milk, egg yolks and cornstarch until smooth.
• Heat second amount of milk, sugar and vanilla in a heavy bottomed pot.
• When this mixture comes to a boil, slowly pour half of it over the egg yolk mixture while whisking briskly.
• Return mixture back to pot.
• Continue whisking 4 to 5 minutes until smooth and boiling.
• Remove from heat.
• Add ground almonds.
• Cover surface with plastic wrap.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Assembly.
• Line a flan ring with one layer of the rolled pastry.
• Pour in pastry cream and then top with second layer of pastry.
• Place flan ring on baking sheet.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden and set.
• Sour Cherry Sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Reduce to simmer and reduce by half.
• Strain and serve warm over cake.

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.

BASQUE COUNTRY

Steps:

• Fill a lowball glass with ice. Add the sweet vermouth and cider, stir gently to combine. Thread a skewer with an orange half wheel, a few olives and a Guindilla pepper, and garnish.

BASQUE SALAD

Steps:

• Mix all of the ingredients together.
• Chill until ready to serve.
• Lightly drizzle the dressing over fresh salad greens and toss until evenly coated.
• It is a very strong and flavorful dressing, so you may want to play around with the amount of dressing you add to suit your personal taste.
• Caution: Do not mix the salad dressing with the salad greens until you are ready to eat or the greens will wilt.