Basque cake tasting, ride on the Talaïa: discovering the Basque Country

Head to the Basque Country this Sunday, to fill your lungs with the invigorating ocean air. And with you Vanessa, we start by putting on our sneakers to go hiking.

We will take the Talaïa, THE coastal path, which stretches on the French side from Bidart to Hendaye over 25 km. Me, I advise you to do it in the North-South direction, to enjoy the panorama.

On your right, you have the ocean which shows itself with these big waves that break on the coast. And then in the background, the mountain, the Jaizkibel, the Three Crowns and the Rhune, which you can also ride on a donkey, from Pottok as the Empress Eugenie de Montijo loved to do, or by the little one rack train dating from 1924. 

And it's not over, the Talaïa continues on the Spanish side to San Sebastian, for around thirty kilometers. So for the moment we obviously have to wait for the border to reopen. But above all, you have to be a seasoned hiker. There are seven to eight hours of walking on this stretch, and it climbs a little more. 

And on the French sections, what is worth a look? 

The passage between Bidart and Saint-Jean-de-Luz, for its alternation of coves, beaches, paths. And there are the points of view: in particular when you arrive at the tip of Sainte-Barbe, there you directly embrace the whole Bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz. A spectacle that is quite exceptional at low tide.

And then, on the second section between Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Hendaye, you end up with the inevitable domain of Abbadia, which shelters this rather astonishing neo-Gothic castle, designed by Viollet le Duc. A fairytale castle, inhabited by stone creatures, with an oriental dimension, a bit like Pierre Loti's house in Rochefort.

But the most impressive is its library which houses 10,000 books, including nearly 900 Basque books written in Basque. Not to mention the area itself which is a protected natural site of 65 Ha with, among other things, Manech sheep which feast on salt meadows by the spray. 

And on the accommodation side, what did you find us? 

So if you want to do the Talaïa while roaming over four to five days, I offer following sailboats, which await you at each port in the evening. So you discover life on a boat, the nightlife and the charm of small harbors. It is organized by the Sentiers de la mer. Joseph Durand can accommodate on board up to four walkers, for a minimum of two nights. It is around 80 euros per night with half board. And when the borders reopen, he can even take you to Bilbao.

Marion Sauveur, what Basque specialty can you make at home easily?

I could have told you about a fish dish like Ttoro or Basque fricassee, but I am incorrigible and above all too greedy. I chose the Basque cake, with its crunchy crust and a delicious filling with almond or black cherry which makes it so soft. Perfect for a Sunday morning. 

In Basque it is called "etxeko-biskotxa", the house cookie. And as the name suggests, it is a family cake. It would have been created in the 19th century. The dough was kneaded in oraska, it is the name of the Basque wooden kneader. It looks like a large chest in which we kneaded the bread dough, the dough of corn flour cakes (called taloak in Basque) or the dough of this cake once a week. And at the start, it was just a shortbread cookie, made for Sunday meals or special occasions. 

But you have to believe that the Basques are gourmands, since they decorated it with a garnish. And they did it with what they had on hand. Each family had their own recipe and fodder. But over time, two trims have become established. 

And is it easy to do it at home? 

It takes a knack, but it's not complicated. You have to make a well-buttered shortcrust pastry by mixing the butter (200g, at room temperature, cut into pieces) with the sugar (200g) and the salt (3g). The trick is to use granulated sugar and soft butter. We incorporate the eggs (4 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs, at room temperature). And we add flour (400g) and yeast (6g), before forming a ball, wrap it in plastic film, and let it cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. 

And during this time, we make the pastry cream. Whisk the sugar (120g) and the eggs (2 egg yolks and the whole egg) until you get a frothy mixture, before incorporating the flour (50g). 

In a saucepan, heat the whole milk (500cl) with the seeds of a vanilla pod. When it boils, add half the milk to the egg-sugar-flour mixture. Mix well, otherwise there will be lumps, before putting the cream back in the pan and whisking without stopping, until the cream thickens. This is where, when you come out of the heat, you have to add the amber rum (2 tablespoons) to the cream. And we film it in contact before letting it cool. 

It remains to spread the dough, put a first disc of dough in the mold, pour the cream or the jam, leaving two centimeters from the edge. And we close the cake with the second disc of dough. Last step: brush with a brush a little egg yolk and put in the oven for 30 minutes at 180 degrees. It is cooked when it is golden. It is eaten cold, and even better the next day.

And if we go to the Basque Country, do you have addresses to taste the best Basque cakes? 

You have to try the Moulin de Bassilour, in Bidart, south of Biarritz. We are in the middle of nature and the Basque cake has been handcrafted for over 80 years. For gourmets, I recommend La Maison Adam (specializing in macaroons) in Saint Jean de Luz, but which makes a very generous Basque cake with cream and good taste of rum.A must in Biarritz: Chez Pariès. And a last address: in Sare (15km from Saint-Jean-de-Luz, inland), at the Basque cake museum. If you want to learn the trick, they organize pastry workshops. You will know everything about this delicacy.

And on the accommodation side, what did we find? 

So if you want to do the Talaia in Roaming for 4/5 days, I offer following sailboats, which await you at each port in the evening. So you discover life on a boat and the nightlife and the charm of small ports. It is organized by Les Sentiers de la Mer. Joseph Durand can accommodate up to 4 walkers on board, for a minimum of 2 nights. It is around 80 euros per night with half board. And when the borders reopen, he can even take you to Bilbao.