Gateau Basque

Step 1

Prepare a cream that will serve as a filling for the cake.

Step 2

For it, heat the milk with the sugar, cinnamon and citrus peels (only the yellow and orange parts) for 10 minutes on low to moderate heat. The milk should not boil.

Step 3

Remove the mixture from the heat, cover it with a lid and leave it for 10 minutes, then strain and place it back onto the heat.

Step 4

Beat the eggs with the starch and pour them in a thin stream over the milk.

Step 5

Boil the cream for 6 minutes, by stirring constantly, then pour it into a bowl and cover with cling film, so that it sticks to the cream so that no crust forms.

Step 6

Make the cake batter by sifting the flour with the powdered sugar into a bowl. Beat the egg with them, pour the ground almonds and cut the butter into small pieces - it should be very cold (you can leave it for 20-30 minutes in the freezer).

Step 7

Rub with your fingers to form crumbs and then gather them into a ball of dough with a crumbly structure.

Step 8

Divide it into two parts, one slightly larger than the other and roll out the larger between two layers of baking paper into a round crust with a diameter of 12″ (30 cm). To make it easier, put the crust along with the bottom layer of paper directly in the cake tin in which you will bake - diameter 9″ (22 cm) and walls not lower than 2″ (5 cm). Press the dough along the edges and stick it to the walls to form a border. Pour the cream into it and flatten it out.

Step 9

Roll out the other part of the dough in the same way into a smaller crust - about 9″ (22 cm) and place it on top of the cream. Cut the protruding edges and fold them, so that it seals nicely where the two layers meet.

Step 10

From the cut outs you can optionally create the Basque symbol, which you will see in the photos. For it, make two S-shaped pieces and cross them.

Step 11

Preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C). Spread the Basque cake with the beaten egg and bake for 35-40 minutes or until it aquires a golden brown color.

Step 12

Once you remove the almond cake from the oven, leave it to cool and carefully separate it from the cake tin (it is best to use a cake tin with a detachable bottom).

Step 13

Wait another 2 hours before cutting it.

Step 14

Enjoy!