Gâteau basque with black cherry spread and almond pastry cream

For the black cherry spread, heat the cherries with most of the sugar; add the remaining sugar mixed with pectin, bring to a boil, blend roughly, and cook a few minutes more.

Rub cold cubed butter into flour, baking powder, powdered sugar and salt with a dash of vanilla (lemon zest optional) until sandy.

Add the egg yolks and mix until combined into a smooth pastry.

Roll a little more than half the dough (60%) into a 5 mm disc and freeze it; refrigerate the rest for the top.

Press the very cold pastry into a fluted tart pan, flush against the sides; trim the excess with a knife and freeze the shell.

For the pastry cream, bring the milk to a boil with a quarter of the sugar and the vanilla; combine the egg yolks, the remaining sugar and cornstarch.

Pour some hot milk into the yolk mixture, return it all to the saucepan, bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes, whisking constantly.

Cool the cream in a stand mixer with a couple of chunks of butter, running it until cool and smooth.

Flavour with a couple of drops of almond extract and almond meal to make a quick frangipane cream.

Coat the base of the shell with black cherry spread and cover with the almond pastry cream.

Roll the remaining pastry into a slightly thinner disc, freeze about 10 minutes, and enclose the cake.

Chill the cake completely (about 20 minutes in the freezer), brush the top twice and score a pattern with a fork. The bake is not described.