Gâteau Basque

Gâteau Basque is a true pleasure from the Pays Basque that has gained immense popularity beyond its borders. This striated golden cake, with its pleasantly soft crust, is undeniably regal, whether it's stuffed with almond or rum-flavored pastry cream or black cherry spread, or maybe even both. The cherries used in this recipe come from Itxassou, a village in the French Basque Country. These incredible black cherries, known as "incroyable cerises noires," are harvested nearby. They are so rare that only 3 tons are collected each year. To put that into perspective, Washington State produced a staggering 243,800 tons of cherries in 2018. Let's make it!