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By now, we bet that you have made, eaten, or at least heard of the , created in the late 1980s in San Sebastián, and sold in many Australian bakeries. But do you know the much older gâteau basque?
Like its cheesecake cousin, it comes from the , the home of the Basque people, which straddles the border between France and Spain. It’s a region with its own language, traditions and cuisine.
Despite being called a gâteau (French for cake), gâteau basque (or etxeko biskotxa, in Basque) is thanks to its shortbread pastry, which is traditionally filled with crème pâtissière or jam. Round and golden, it’s decorated with a crosshatch pattern or the Basque cross. You can find it in homes, restaurants and bakeries.
In Sydney, Vincent Ventura and Johan Giausseran serve the dessert at their Basque restaurant, . They say some customers come in especially for it, while others have no idea what it is. “Don’t get it confused with the burnt cheesecake. Gâteau basque is a much older dessert, with origins dating back to the 1830s,” explains Giausseran.
A version of the dessert might have existed as early as the 18th century, but a baker from Cambo-les-Bains, on the French side of the Basque Country, is credited for commercialising the version we know today. in the first part of the 19th century.
Basque people take their gâteau seriously. They have an , as well as , and .
The small gâteaux basques at Deux Frères sport the Basque cross, and their filling change weekly. In addition to the two classics, you might get to try a hazelnut or pistachio filling. And when crème pâtissière is on the menu, it might be perfumed with almond essence or rum, which is common in the Basque Country.
“We’ve been told that the cake doesn’t have that many ingredients because that’s what grandmas back in the day had in their kitchen; flour, egg, butter. And we’ve heard that there was always some contraband rum coming from Spain at the back of the cupboard, so they would add some in the cake,” says Giausseran.
The gâteau basque at Le Péché Gourmand is filled with crème pâtissière and jam. Credit: Matt Dunne
Credit: Blink TV
Giausseran says that while the gâteau basque recipe may look simple, it’s important to have high-quality ingredients and to get the baking right so you don’t end up with dry pastry.
And if you want to enjoy your dessert the Basque way, forget cutlery; .
Get the recipe
Gâteau Basque
