Cakes and Pastries Recipes - Basque Cake with Vanilla Lemon Cream Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb butter

• 1 tsp salt flower

• 15 oz brown sugar

• 83/4 oz almond powder

• 1/2 tsp ground vanilla

• 3 medium eggs + 1 yolk

• 1 1/3 lb flour

• 1/2 packet of baking powder

lemon flavored vanilla cream:

• 1 cup milk

• 1 1/2 tablespoon fine semolina

• 1/2 vanilla pod

• Zest of 1/2 lemon

• 1 egg yolk

• 4 tbsp brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon flour

• 2/3 cup cream

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Method:

1. Prepare the dough by blending together, in this order, 1 1/8lb (500 g) of butter, the salt, brown sugar, almond powder, vanilla, and eggs. Add the flour, sifted together with the baking powder. Mix, kneading as little as possible. Wrap the dough in cling wrap and chill in the refrigerator.

2. Prepare the lemon-flavored vanilla cream: in a saucepan bring to a boil half of the milk with the semolina, 1/2 a vanilla pod, split lengthwise and scraped, and finally the lemon zest. Beat the yolks, brown sugar, and flour until the mixture turns slightly lighter. Slowly add the remaining milk to the mixture, whisking all the time. Bring the cream a to boil and let it boil for 2 min, stirring all the time, and then fold it into the first mixture. Mix well. leave it to cool, stirring from time to time; making sure that the cream remains smooth.

3. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C).

4. Grease a 1 1/4 inch (3 cm) deep pan. Cover the bottom of the pan with the dough. Cover the sides with a 3/4 inch (2 cm) high band of dough.

5. Fill with the lemon flavored cream. Cover with the remaining dough. Brush with the egg yolk, beaten, and perforate the surface with a fork. Bake for 45 min.