The Basque cake is the iconic pastry of the Basque Country, originating from the Cambo-les-Bains region in the 19th century. Originally filled with Itxassou black cherry jam, it has evolved into a version with pastry cream, which is now the most popular. Its thick, buttery dough, marked with the traditional grid pattern, encloses a creamy center. It is a cake that improves when eaten the day after it is made.
The dough, thick and buttery, is somewhere between shortcrust and biscuit. Filled with pastry cream and marked with the traditional grid, it benefits from resting overnight before tasting so the flavors can develop.
The detailed quantities and steps are provided in the recipe sheet on this page.