A Spectacular Tart
Gateau Basque
Written by Kevin Kapusi Starow
I am not a huge cake person, though when I had the opportunity to sample this little gem, my eyes rolled to the back of my head and there was a moment that was experienced, with Gateau Basque.
This delight incorporates a simple crust, which by the way is foolproof to make, with a custard cream and the sweetness not just of pears. But pears that have first been poached in a vanilla cooking liquor, then caramelized in honey. The combination is stunning!
Gateau Basque with Caramelized Pear
Equipment
- Flan tin
- Mixer
- Pastry Brush
- 2 x pots
Ingredients
Dough
- 500 gm Butter - unsalted, softened
- 440 gm Brown Sugar - dark
- 250 gm Almond Meal
- 640 gm Flour - plain
- 6 gm Baking powder
- 4 Eggs
- Salt
Truffle Cream
- 1 lt Milk
- 30 gm Truffle - shaved
- 150 gm Caster Sugar
- 100 gm Egg Yolk
- 80 gm Custard Powder
- 110 gm Butter
Poached Pear
- 1 lt Water
- 400 gm Caster Sugar
- 1 Vanilla Bean - halved & scrapped
- 1 Lemon - zested, & juice
- 4 Pears - peeled & cored
Instructions
Dough
- Add the butter & sugar to a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle and beat until smooth and creamy in consistency.
- Add the almond powder, and salt, mix together.
- Add the eggs, one by one, till fully incorporated.
- Add the flour and baking powder, and combine together with the other ingredients.
- Cover in glad wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Truffle Cream
- Heat the milk & truffle over a low heat, to allow the truffle to infuse.
- Whisk together the egg, sugar & custard powder till light and smooth.
- Once the milk has reached scalding stage, add to the egg mixture,, and whisk together.
- Pour back into the pot and cook out over a low heat till the mixture thickens.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter.
Poached Pear
- Add all of the ingredient into a deep pot and bring to a simmer.
- Allow to poach the pears until tender.
- Allow to cool down in the syrup, covered with a cartouche.
To Assemble
- Caramalise the pears in honey in a pan and reserve on a plate to cool down.
- Roll the pastry out to fit a 25cm ring, leaving enough to overhang the sides, and roll out another disk to cover the top of the gateau.
- Spoon the truffle crème, on the inside of the pastry ensuring the entire inside surface is covered.
- Arrange the pears ontop, sprinkle with caramelized almonds.
- Brush the edges of the pastry with an egg yolk wash.
- Cover with the pastry circle, and secure in place, trim off the edges.
- Brush the top with egg yolk wash, and refrigerate for an hour, prior to cooking.
- Cook in a preheated oven at 180c for 20 minutes.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool prior to serving.
Notes
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