Gateau Breton

Originally from Lorient, France, the gateau Breton or gateau Lorientais, grew in popularity in a culture where butter is strongly ingrained in its cuisine.

The gateau Breton should have at least 20% of salted butter to be considered as such. It keeps for a long time in the refrigerator, about 10 days at minimum.

  • 500g all purpose flour
  • 250g salted butter
  • 300g fine sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1 beaten egg for coating
  • 1 tbsp dark rum 
  • (optional) 1 tbsp of orange blossom

Instructions:

  1. Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature!
  2. Mix sugar, flour, butter (in pieces) in bowl using your hand or a hand mixer. Do so for 5 minutes or until you have a sandy consistency.
  3. Add 1 egg and the 5 egg yolks one by one. Pour in the rum (and/or orange blossom if you wish).
  4. Grease a 24cm springform and put the batter inside. Flatten the paste as much as possible with a spatula.
  5. With a large fork draw lines across the paste as shown in the sample image.
  6. Batter 1 egg and coat the paste over the whole surface with a pastry brush.
  7. Place spring form in the lower half of the oven, bake at 180° for 45 - 55 minutes. No pre-heating necessary.
  8. Use a kitchen skewer to pierce the cake in the middle. If the skewer is dry, the cake is done.
  9. Let cool on a grid and remove from the mold.

Tools used: Hand mixer, silicone spatula, pastry brush, sieve.

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  3. Gâteau Breton

  • Serves 10 - 12
  • 1 serving = --- kcal min.
  • Sugar 25 g/serving
  • Prep time 20 minutes
  • 24 cm cake mold

TIPS:

  • No pre-heating necessary
  • The gateau has a texture between a crumbly cookie and a cake
  • The cake will rise some but not much. After it cools the top will settle some.