Gateau Basque (French Pastry Cream Version)

Per Pierre-Yves Chupin in *French Bistro and Cafe Cooking* , "There are 2 versions of *Basque Cake* , 1 based on cherry preserves & another on pastry cream (creme patissiere) that is always very popular." A RZ search yielded several recipes for cherry preserves versions & none for the latter that I could find, so I am entering it here as he opted to do in his cookbook. (Time does not include time for dough to rise). *Enjoy* ! -- *Edited to Add* -- Despite extraordinary efforts to verify & correct this recipe + 2 tries at making it by Buddha, it appears the recipe may be faulted in some way. Details + photos of the recipe from the cookbook can be found at http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=261947&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30. If anyone can shed light on this prob, it would be welcomed. Until that happens, I plan to try to email the author & publisher to register a complaint. If they respond, that answer will be posted in this thread at that time. :-(

• Ready In: 1 hr 35 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 8 Cake Wedges

Ingredients

• FOR DOUGH

• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 4  tablespoons butter (unsalted & softened)
• 3⁄4 cup flour
• 1⁄8 ounce  yeast (5 gm)
• 1  pinch salt
• 1  teaspoon rum
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  teaspoon  almond extract

• FOR PASTRY CREAM

• 1  cup milk
• 1⁄2 vanilla bean
• 2 1⁄4 cups flour
• 6  tablespoons sugar
• 1  teaspoon rum
• 2  egg yolks
• 1  egg yolk (beaten, for glaze)
•  powdered sugar (for dusting)

Directions

1. Make dough by mixing all dough ingredients in a lrg bowl. Do not knead dough too much, but rather allow it to rise for 2-3 hours.
2. Make pastry cream by heating the milk in a saucepan together w/the vanilla bean split lengthwise. Remove from heat, cover & allow the vanilla to infuse for 20 minutes.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, rum & 2 egg yolks. Remove the vanilla bean from the saucepan & bring the milk back to a gentle boil. Gradually pour it over the flour/sugar mixture while whisking vigourously. Return mixture to the saucepan, reheat to a gentle boil (stirring freq), remove from heat & set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 350F (180C).
5. Roll out 2/3 of the dough to fit the base & sides of a shallow 9-in rd cake pan. Spread the filling over the dough, fold over the dough edges & brush them w/a little beaten egg yolk.
6. Roll out the remaining dough to cover the filling completely, glaze w/beaten egg yolk & bake for 45 minutes.
7. Allow to cool slightly, refrigerate till cold & dust w/powdered sugar prior to serving. Garnish w/red berries as desired.