Gateau Basque

Judging from the name, I’m guessing this pie is from the French side of the border.

I have been trying to step up my baking of late. After all, it has already been 6 months since I got to Rwanda… Which also means that my time here (according to the original plan) is a fourth-way over. It sort of freaks me out how fast time is zooming by. Each day seems to tumble into the next in a fantastically fast-paced gymnastics routine of somersaults and triple flips!

But, on the other hand, I also seem to be going through some sort of a slump. I think the initial “newness” of everything has passed, and I’m going from “Oh, this is new, but I guess this is how it’s done here” to “Crap, not again, when is it going to stop?” Chief among my complaints are a lack of reliable public transportation and faulty internet access at home (and oftentimes at work), and the two elements together are driving me clean crazy. I recently spent three days trying to book a measly plane ticket, something I finally achieved at a coffee shop – which is only accessible by taxi. So it’s not surprising that I’m spending a fortune on taxi fares; last month, I spent nearly as much on taxis as I did on food! This is just not right. I have the numbers of no less than 17 drivers on my phone, and I’m collectively annoyed with all of them for overcharging me (they have a funny custom here where they charge more to regulars… just because they can). Maybe I’ve just been really spoiled in Korea with super fast and cheap connectivity…

As a result, pies are more expensive and harder to coordinate. (This was the point to my very long ramble.) Getting all the ingredients to a pie often feels like sprinkling money along the streets of Kigali. Or across the skies… I brought the almonds (for the sweet almond cookie crust) from Rome and the rum (for the alcohol infused pastry cream filling) from duty-free in Nairobi.

All for this one little pie.

But it does seem enticing!

                It was quite delicious. And hopefully authentic -- I asked a friend who is traveling to Basque country (albeit the Spanish side) to compare and report back. 

When I eat pie, I forget all the work that went into the making. Probably a good enjoyment mechanism…J

Lemon Pucker Pie ™

 This humble pie belies its true exquisiteness.

 Blind-baking the crust. I bought and brought over ceramic pie weights, but these beans I got locally for next to nothing are really the best!

The filling for the lemon pucker pie is actually pretty easy to make, and quite ingenius, too. Instead of putting the meringue on top, you mix it right into the lemon custard. You save yourself a step, lots of time, and the potential to mess up meringue (they are my nemesis).

And what you get is an airy, silky, yet intensely lemony pie:)

It’s easier to make and it tastes better. And it was a big hit with everyone. This really is a no-brainer. Haha! Say hello to my new favorite lemon pie!

Brioche and Marginally Transferable Skills

Aside from fillo, which I can’t find anywhere across three continents, brioche is the last category of pastries that I’m tackling. You could even say that I was actively avoiding it. I mean, it’s so much like bread, I don’t really know why it’s in the book! But since I scoured Rome for brioche tins and even brought back bread flour, I thought I’d finally give it a go.

It took the better part of a Saturday to prepare the dough; so many steps requiring rising and refrigeration! Yes, when I bake on the weekend, I get up earlier than I do for work on weekdays. Labor of love… or obsession?

As I’ve said numerous times before, the skills acquired for specific sub-categories of baking seem to only be marginally non-transferable, at best. For all the pies I’ve baked, I have trouble making a simple cake! And for something as bready as brioche, I’m basically starting from square one again. For pie crust (and cake), you never over-mix because too much gluten is enemy number one for the perfect crisp (or fluff).  So to knead on purpose seems weird. And a little wrong.

Still, I managed somehow. The results weren’t as meltingly puffy and chewy as expected, but it was a pretty good first attempt. I was really just happy to have achieved some sort of bread-like texture! Maybe by the time I get through all the brioches in the book, I’ll get the hang of kneading and stuff.

Everything’s better with a drizzle of honey:)