Gâteau Basque (Pastel Vasco)

1.Beat butter and raw caster sugar in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until pale and creamy (2-4 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, beating between each addition to incorporate. Add flour, almonds, baking powder, vanilla, lemon rind and a pinch of salt and mix until a dough forms. Divide dough in half, form each half into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate to rest until firm (2-3 hours).

2.Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180C. For pastry cream, whisk yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl until pale. Add flour and whisk to combine. Meanwhile, bring milk and vanilla just to the boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Pour half the milk mixture over egg mixture and whisk to combine, then add remaining milk mixture and stir to combine. Return to pan and whisk continuously over high heat until cream is thick and bubbling (6-8 minutes), then remove from heat. Transfer to a bowl, remove vanilla bean (discard), cover directly with plastic wrap and cool to room temperature (20-30 minutes).

3.Working quickly as pastry will soften, roll one dough disc on a lightly floured surface to a 30cm-diameter circle and line a buttered and floured 24cm-diameter cake tin, so the pastry comes up the sides. Spread pastry cream evenly over base. Roll remaining dough on a lightly floured surface to a 22cm-diameter circle and place on top of pastry cream. Pinch edges of pastry to seal and trim excess. Brush with eggwash and bake until deep golden (40-50 minutes). Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour, then carefully turn cake out and cool, glazed side up, on wire rack for pastry cream to firm (1-2 hours). Dust with icing sugar and serve with preserved cherries.