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Gateaux Basques


dumpling

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Does anyone know where I can find these in the NY/Nj area? I had these when I was in the Pays Basque in France. They are cooked on a spit, rotated round and round forming ring layers like a tree, and end up sort of in the shape of a Christmas Tree. I've had it right off the spit. These things are amazing and you can wrap them and keep them for a long time.

I'd order them from France but i'd like to know if there were any here.

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Isn't a gateau basque a cake that's sort of a cross between a pastry and a cake? a pate sucree sort of shell filled with pastry cream and or cherries?

I think I've had the sort of cake you describe, but it came from a German deli somewhere in the shore area of NJ, maybe Toms River, so I always thought it was a German speciality.

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Sounds like Baumkuchen (sp?) Made it in culinary school quite a few years ago. Baked it on a spit, dipping in batter after one layer was baked to create that tree affect you spoke of. Looked like a log,but not a Christmas Tree. Chef instructor was German . But I don't know if this is what you speak of. If it is, a German bakery would probably be your best bet (Actually had one at a German Bakery in Chicagoland several years ago - very good)

McKay

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Baumkuchen is considered a marzipan layer cake.

Found this website for you for specifically gateau basque Mrs. London and here is another Les Halles

Some places may consider this a "seasonal" thing though, so you may have better luck towards November/December.

Debra Diller

"Sweet dreams are made of this" - Eurithmics

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The visual just cracks me up. I keep thinking of a cake shaped like a ham on a rotissire with little rings around it like a tree. We make marzipan logs at the bakery, but sadly no baumkuchen. I have a german pastry book I got in Austria, I will see if there is a recipe. Sorry, not fluent yet, but can pick out some words. Maybe I will wait to post in a few months after my class I am starting so I can 1/2 way translate.

Debra Diller

"Sweet dreams are made of this" - Eurithmics

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it is called gateau a la broche and it is baked over the fire on a slow turning spit with a cone mold set in place. A very liquid pate a choux is applied slowly in layers. It is served when all the batter has been applied, cooked, and cooled. Usually, it is about 2 feet high and a few flowers are stuck in the top.

do tell us where one can be ordered. I haven't tasted it in 25 years.

“C’est dans les vieux pots, qu’on fait la bonne soupe!”, or ‘it is in old pots that good soup is made’.

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it is called gateau a la broche and it is baked over the fire on a slow turning spit with a cone mold set in place.

A gateau basque is a flat round cake filled with cherry preserves or pastry cream. I've heard arguments supporting either one as the original recipe. The one with cherry is certain the more distiguished one in my mind and a real treat when well made.

I have seen the cake dumpling describes and am sure Ms. Wolfert knows what they are called as well as how they are made, although I don't recall the name myself. I have seen them for sale in the southwest of France. I also recall seeing them cooked in storefront windows of pastry shops.

Robert Buxbaum

WorldTable

Recent WorldTable posts include: comments about reporting on Michelin stars in The NY Times, the NJ proposal to ban foie gras, Michael Ruhlman's comments in blogs about the NJ proposal and Bill Buford's New Yorker article on the Food Network.

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the name of the cake described is simply "gateau a la broche" and is made as I described above.

Bux is right in his description of a gateau basque. The reason teh above cake doesn't have a Basque name is it isn't Basque. It is originally from around the Aure valley in the pyrenees.

Edited by Wolfert (log)

“C’est dans les vieux pots, qu’on fait la bonne soupe!”, or ‘it is in old pots that good soup is made’.

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the name of the cake described is simply "gateau a la broche" and is made as I described above.

Bux is right in his description of a gateau basque. The reason teh above cake doesn't have a Basque name is it isn't Basque. It is originally from around the Aure valley in the pyrenees.

Thanks Wolfert, you got what I meant even though I used the wrong name(sorry encroaching senility). I spent some time in the Pyrenees and that's where I saw it. I had thought it was Basque. I used to stay in Lourdes and it was in most of the bakeries, cafes shops, etc. Just watching it cook is an amazing thing; I saw a guy doing it outside a restaurant I was at up in the mountains and watched him turning it to get the layers. It looks so attractive and it just tastes wonderful-you would think that it would be dry and maybe rather plain but it has a vibrancy to it that's hard to describe.

Since I've been there a lot and have friends there, I could have one of my friends who owns a cafe send some.

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Thanks for the link rickster. That's it, although the ones in the stores that I saw tend to be a trifle smaller- I think it's just a more easily marketable size-something around 10 inches. Although I did see the bigger ones.

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Go to google, enter "gateau a la broche", click on "images" and then hit search. You'll get a nice variety of photos, and one even shows you the underside/inside of the cake.

This would make for some wonderful centerpeices for a wedding or something!

Sherri A. Jackson
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thanks for the links. I wrote and asked for airmail prices for the cake...and, of course, if it has customs papers..

Poilane ships to the states so maybe it will work. I'll keep you all posted.

“C’est dans les vieux pots, qu’on fait la bonne soupe!”, or ‘it is in old pots that good soup is made’.

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PastryLady,

“BAUMKUCHEN”

and to quote you: “Baumkuchen is considered a marzipan layer cake.”

not true,

although : “ Am 22. November 1865 war Wilhelm I in der Stadt. Zu dieser Zeit war das Café Kruse der einzige Baumkuchenherstellungsort in Salzwedel. Es wurde ein prunkvoller, mit Marzipanrosen bestückter, Baumkuchen zum Festessen in die Propstei bei den Grafen von der Schulenburg (heute: Jenny Marx Museum) gebracht. “

which says that on this date, one specially decorated with ‘Marzipan Roses’ was delivered for a special occasion, and to a special place.

Go to this URL: “ http://www.kruse-baumkuchen.de/

Then go to left top: Start. Baumkuchen

Go down and click individually on

• What is it

• History

• Manufacture (Good Pictures)

Also, under Google; Baumkuchen , one can find internet sales and shipping.

Is it special: yes. Is it good: jein. Different: definitely. ( more history and tradition than delicacy [my opinion] )

Peter
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Here is the response from the gateau a la broche people.

Is there anyone from the sonoma-san francisco area who would want to share in the cost..two or more broches bring the cost down to something reasonable. Let me know...Paula

Dear Paula,

There should be no problems for a gateau a la broche to pass US customs.

The price of 1 kg gateau a la broche is 23.13 Eur

The shipping costs would be :

- By Chronopost / Fedex : 51.87 EUR (4-8 days)

- By Priority shipping Parcel 24.35 EUR (15-20 days)

For a 2 kg gateau a la broche

- Chronopost / Fedex : 66.78 EUR

- Colis postal prioritaire : 34.30 EUR

In fact, the first kg is the most expensive.

During the processing of your order, you can check at every moment what

are the fees by clicking on "See the content" of my basket on by

choosing your country of delivery.

Order directly a gateau a la broche from our page :

http://www.bienmanger.com/2F162_Gateau_Broche.html

You can contact me for any further information,

Best regards,

Laurent

Looking forward welcoming you soon on www.bienmanger.com

“C’est dans les vieux pots, qu’on fait la bonne soupe!”, or ‘it is in old pots that good soup is made’.

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Does anyone know where I can find these in the NY/Nj area?  I had these when I was in the Pays Basque in France.  They are cooked on a spit, rotated round and round forming ring layers like a tree, and end up sort of in the shape of a Christmas Tree.  I've had it right off the spit.  These things are amazing and you can wrap them and keep them for a long time.

I'd order them from France but i'd like to know if there were any here.

Interesting, my husband is from Lithuania, and a similar cake (both in appearance and preparation) was brought by his parents to our wedding.

I remember they told it's a traditional lithuanian wedding cake.

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Does anyone know where I can find these in the NY/Nj area?  I had these when I was in the Pays Basque in France.  They are cooked on a spit, rotated round and round forming ring layers like a tree, and end up sort of in the shape of a Christmas Tree.  I've had it right off the spit.  These things are amazing and you can wrap them and keep them for a long time.

I'd order them from France but i'd like to know if there were any here.

Interesting, my husband is from Lithuania, and a similar cake (both in appearance and preparation) was brought by his parents to our wedding.

I remember they told it's a traditional lithuanian wedding cake.

Helenas, look at my post further up the tree.

What 'Dumpling' is referring to is a Baumkuchen.

Especially click at the URL for great pictures.

Peter
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  • 3 weeks later...

http://www.jouels.com/traditions/gat-broche.htm

update:

I purchased the gateau a la broche. It came French snail mail which didn't seem to harm the contents. Absolutely wonderful flavor with a crunchy butter cookie texture. I highly recommend it for Xmas but be sure to tell them when you want it to arrive stateside.

“C’est dans les vieux pots, qu’on fait la bonne soupe!”, or ‘it is in old pots that good soup is made’.

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