Gateau Basque a la Cerise Noire

Ingredients

• 300 g plain flour
• 60 g ground almonds
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 200 g soft unsalted butter
• 180 g caster sugar
• 1 whole egg plus 2 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp dark rum
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 300 g black cherry jam, preferably Itxassou
• 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tsp milk, to glaze

Before you cook

• Beat the soft butter with the caster sugar and salt until pale and creamy.
• Beat in the whole egg and two yolks one at a time, then the rum and lemon zest.
• Fold in the flour, ground almonds and baking powder until the dough just comes together, and do not work it further.
• Divide the dough in two, press each half into a flat disc, wrap them and chill for one hour.
• Butter a 22 cm springform tin and line the base with baking paper.

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 175C fan.
2. Roll the first disc of dough between two sheets of baking paper to a 26 cm round.
3. Lift it into the tin and press it over the base and 2 cm up the sides, patching any tears with your fingers.
4. Spread the black cherry jam over the base, stopping 1.5 cm short of the edge all the way round.
5. Roll the second disc of dough to a 22 cm round between paper.
6. Lay the lid over the jam and press the edges firmly onto the border of the base to seal.
7. Brush the whole top with the egg yolk glaze.
8. Chill the assembled cake for 15 minutes, then brush it with glaze a second time.
9. Drag the tines of a fork across the lid in one direction, then across again at an angle to score the traditional lattice.
10. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is a deep even chestnut brown.
11. Cool the cake in the tin for 20 minutes, then release the ring and slide it onto a rack.
12. Leave it to cool completely before cutting, and serve at room temperature the following day if you can wait.