Basque Custard Pie

Though the name of this pie in French is gâteau, which usually refers to a cake, it is a pie with a top and bottom crust. The classic filling for a gâteau Basque is a flour-thickened pastry cream with almonds scented with a little almond extract. There are many versions of this pie that also include cherries. Itxassou, a village in the Basque region of France, is famous for its cherries, and they or a jam made from them often form part of this filling. The real thing is not available