Far Breton

Far Breton

A dense, custardy cake from Brittany made with a simple batter of flour, eggs, milk, and rum-soaked prunes. It sits between a flan and a clafoutis, with a proud caramelized top and a soft, almost bread-pudding-like interior.

Prep

15 min

Cook

45 min

Total

60 min

Serves

8

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •250 g (9 oz) pitted prunes, about 20 prunes; use unsulphured if possible
• •60 ml (¼ cup) dark rum, or 40 ml rum + 20 ml water for a milder version
• •250 g (1¾ cups) plain wheat flour, type 55 or all-purpose; this is not a gluten-free batter
• •150 g (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) caster sugar
• •4 whole (4 large) eggs, size L, about 200 g total out of shell
• •750 ml (3 cups + 3 tbsp) whole milk, fresh whole milk; semi-skimmed works but is less rich
• •30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, for the dish, plus extra to butter the pan
• •1 pinch fine sea salt
• •5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract, optional, but traditional in some families

Steps

1. 1 Soak the prunes: place the pitted prunes in a small bowl, pour over the rum (plus a splash of water if you prefer a less boozy cake), cover, and leave at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or overnight in the fridge. They should be plump and tender.
2. 2 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F, gas mark 4). Generously butter a 24 cm (9½ in) round or oval baking dish, about 5 cm (2 in) deep. A ceramic gratin dish or a metal cake tin both work; metal gives a browner, more caramelized crust.
3. 3 In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until just combined and slightly pale; do not beat air into them, the Far Breton should be dense, not spongy.
4. 4 Sift in the flour and salt, then whisk gently until smooth, breaking up any lumps. It will be a thick paste at this stage.
5. 5 Warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until it is just lukewarm, about 40°C (104°F). Do not let it simmer. Slowly pour the warm milk into the batter while whisking constantly to keep the batter smooth.
6. 6 Stir in the melted butter and the vanilla, if using. Whisk in any rum left in the prune bowl. The batter should be very liquid, about the consistency of heavy cream.
7. 7 Arrange the drained prunes in a single layer in the buttered dish. They should cover the base fairly evenly; about 20 prunes does this well in a 24 cm dish.
8. 8 Pour the batter over the prunes. Let the dish sit for 5 minutes so the prunes float up slightly and the batter settles.
9. 9 Bake on the middle rack for 40 to 50 minutes. The top should rise slightly, turn a deep amber brown, and feel set when pressed. A knife inserted in the center should come out with just a thin line of wet batter, not liquid, and the internal temperature should read 90 to 95°C (194 to 203°F) on an instant-read thermometer.
10. 10 Cool in the dish for at least 20 minutes. The Far Breton will sink slightly as it cools and develop its characteristic dense, custardy texture. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into squares. It is traditionally eaten plain, but a light dusting of powdered sugar or a small pitcher of crème fraîche is welcome.