Dough (prepare the day before): beat together 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, 100 g of sugar and a pinch of salt. Add 125 g of softened butter and 200 g of flour and leave the dough to rest for 24 hours after kneading. Cream: Boil 250 ml of milk with 2 split vanilla pods. Beat 2 egg yolks with 50 g of sugar, then add 30 g of flour and a soup spoon of rum. Gradually stir in the boiling milk. Return to the saucepan and thicken over a low heat. Butter a mould and line the base and sides with two-thirds of the dough and fill with the cold cream. Top with the remaining dough and seal the edges with water. Glaze the surface with an egg yolk and bake for 40 minutes at 210 °C.
Recipe Succulent Confit Duck
A culinary speciality of south-western France in general, and the Périgord in particular, confit duck is usually accompanied by pommes sarladaises; a potato dish with garlic and duck >or goose fat. To create this delicacy, the duck meat is cooked for 2 hours in hot fat before bottling. The ideal accompaniment is an excellent Languedoc red wine.
Espelette pepper
An AOC-label product of certified origin exclusive to the Basque country, the growing of the chillies for Espelette pepper is tightly controlled. The spice itself is an exceptional product that has come to symbolise the best traditions of Basque gastronomy. Its fruity flavours and hot spiciness (never to the point of burning) achieve a very subtle balance close to the strength of black pepper. It is delicious with traditional regional dishes like Piperade à l'Ibaïona and local charcuterie, and adds distinct character and finesse to a multitude of recipes, from starters to desserts. Espelette pepper chocolate is extremely difficult to resist, and definitely a must when you visit this region.