Pâte sablée basque
- 250 g butter, softened
- 220 g brown sugar (cassonade)
- 90 g whole eggs
- 310 g flour T55
- 154 g almond powder
- 16 g baking powder
- 2 g salt
Crème d'amande — → Crème d'Amande
- 15 g butter, softened
- 30 g panela sugar (or brown sugar)
- 30 g almond powder
- 125 g whole eggs
Marmalade myrtille
- 1 kg wild blueberries
- 100 g sugar
- 10 g pectin NH
The Basque version of a shortcrust — richer, denser, and more crumbly than the standard pâte sucrée because of the high almond content and brown sugar. Grolet's version layers it with a blueberry marmalade. The classic filling is either a black cherry jam or a thick pastry cream. Both work — the jam version is simpler and more rustic.
Method
Pâte sablée basque
- Cream butter and brown sugar with a paddle until just combined — the mixture should look sandy, not pale and airy.
- Add eggs gradually. Add flour, almond powder, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just homogeneous.
- Flatten into a disc, wrap, refrigerate at least 4 hours. The dough will be soft — do not skip the rest.
The dough is more fragile than pâte sucrée. Work cold — flour your hands and work quickly. If it breaks when rolling, press it back together; it bakes into a seamless whole.
Marmalade myrtille
- Mix sugar and pectin NH dry. Add to the blueberries in a saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Cook for 2 min after the first boil.
- Cool. The marmalade will set firm as it cools — it should be spreadable, not liquid.
Assembly & bake
- Roll the dough to ~5mm. Line a buttered 20cm cake tin — press in and let the edges overhang slightly. Reserve a disc for the top.
- Spread crème d'amande over the base. Add a thick layer of myrtille marmalade (or black cherry jam).
- Place the pastry lid on top. Press the edges to seal and trim. Score the surface with a fork or knife in the traditional crosshatch pattern. Brush with egg wash.
- Bake at 170°C for 35–40 min until deeply golden. The sides should be set and the top firm.
- Cool completely before unmoulding — the filling sets as it cools.
Background
The gâteau Basque is one of the few French regional cakes that has stayed genuinely regional — it is made and eaten in the Basque country and not much replicated elsewhere. The dough differs from pâte sucrée in that it contains baking powder (giving a slightly lighter, more cakey crumb) and a high proportion of almond powder (making it richer and more fragile). Cassonade adds a caramel depth that white sugar doesn't.
The two fillings — black cherry jam (traditional in the interior) and pastry cream (traditional on the coast) — reflect different subregional traditions. Grolet's version with blueberry marmalade is a modern variation that works because blueberries provide the same tartness and colour contrast without being too sweet. The crème d'amande layer between the dough and the jam adds richness and helps the filling hold its shape on cutting.
Mistakes I've Made
- Dough too warm when rolling. It sticks, tears, and is impossible to transfer. Work cold and fast; refrigerate briefly if it becomes unmanageable.
- Not enough filling. The interior looks dry and flat when cut. Be generous — the almond cream and jam should fill the cavity completely.
- Unmoulding warm. The filling is still liquid and the base breaks. Cool completely before any attempt to remove from the tin.
- Jam too wet. It soaks through the base. Cook the jam to a thick, set consistency before filling.
Sources
- Gâteau Basque | Grolet —