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Loading...A beloved specialty from the French Basque Country, this golden cake pairs a tender, buttery shortbread crust with a generous filling of silky vanilla pastry cream. Traditionally, a spoonful of dark cherry jam is tucked into the center for a sweet-tart contrast, and the lid is decoratively scored before baking. Served at room temperature, it is the kind of cake that anchors a Sunday table with quiet elegance.
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Total Time70 mins
Servings8
Yield8 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 430 kcalCalories
- 22 gFat
- 12 gSaturated Fat
- 50 gCarbs
- 1 gFiber
- 26 gSugar
- 8 gProtein
- 110 mgSodium
- 140 mgPotassium
- 90 mgCalcium
- 1.6 mgIron
- 1 mgVitamin C
- 190 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the pastry dough
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 125 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 90 g granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 large whole egg
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons ice water, only if needed
For the vanilla pastry cream filling
- 350 ml whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 70 g granulated sugar
- 35 g cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or seeds of 1 vanilla bean
- 20 g unsalted butter
For assembly
- 4 tablespoons black cherry preserves (optional, classic)
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon milk for egg wash
- 1 teaspoon milk for brushing
Directions
- Make the pastry cream first so it can chill: warm the milk with the vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat until it just steams. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until pale and ribbony. Slowly pour the hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking, then return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the butter until smooth, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and refrigerate until completely cold.
- Make the dough: in a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the cold butter with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse meal with a few pea-sized bits. Add the egg yolks, whole egg, and vanilla, and stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms; add ice water a tablespoon at a time only if it will not come together. Turn out, divide into two portions (roughly two-thirds for the base and one-third for the lid), flatten into discs, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F). Grease an 8-inch (20 cm) springform pan or round cake pan with a removable bottom and line the base with parchment.
- Roll the larger dough disc between two sheets of parchment into a circle about 3 mm thick and lift it into the pan, pressing it gently into the base and up the sides with a 3 cm overhang; trim excess. Spread the cherry preserves in a thin layer in the center if using, then spoon or pipe the cold pastry cream over the jam, leaving a 1.5 cm border clear.
- Roll the smaller dough disc into a round just larger than the pan. Drape it over the filling, fold the overhanging base dough up over the lid, and crimp the edges together to seal. Brush the top with egg wash, then use the back of a knife to score a crosshatch or diamond pattern, and traditionally write a family name or a small cross in the center.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and the pastry feels set when gently pressed. If the lid browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for at least 20 minutes, then release the springform or run a knife around the edges and lift out. Cool completely before slicing; serve at room temperature.
Cook’s Notes
- Chill the dough thoroughly; cold butter is the secret to a tender, crumbly crust that holds its shape during baking.
- Do not overfill the pastry cream or it will ooze out as it bakes and puffs: keep the filling about 1 cm below the rim.
- Score the top before baking, not after; the marks bake into the lid and give the cake its signature look.
- For the most authentic flavor, use a vanilla bean in the pastry cream and a high-quality dark cherry preserve such as Itxassou cherries from the Basque Country.
- Wrap leftover slices tightly; the cake keeps at room temperature for 2 days, or refrigerated up to 4 days, and tastes even better after a night of resting.
