Gâteau breton
Photo: Lionel Allorge · CC BY-SA 3.0

History

The cake was developed in the Lorient area in the second half of the nineteenth century as a keeping cake for sailors and fishermen: high in butter and sugar, low in moisture, it lasted weeks at sea. The classic proportions run close to equal weights of flour, sugar and butter, bound with egg yolks alone rather than whole eggs, which is what gives the crumb its short, almost shortbread density. The criss-cross scoring on top, brushed with yolk before baking, is the standard finish. Some versions carry a layer of prune paste or salted-butter caramel through the middle; the plain one is the original.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Eggs, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 10Hands-on 25 minTotal 2 hrDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 250g plain flour
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 200g salted Breton butter, softened
  • 5 egg yolks, plus 1 for glazing
  • 1 tbsp dark rum
  • A pinch of salt

Method

  1. Beat the butter and sugar until pale, then beat in the five yolks one at a time, followed by the rum.
  2. Fold in the flour and salt to a thick, sticky paste. Do not overwork it.
  3. Press into a buttered 22cm tin lined with parchment, smoothing the top with a wet palm.
  4. Chill 30 minutes, then brush with the remaining yolk beaten with a teaspoon of water and score a lattice across the top with a fork.
  5. Bake at 170C for 40 to 45 minutes until deep gold and set at the centre.
  6. Cool completely in the tin before turning out. It keeps a fortnight in a tin.

Tip from the editors. Yolks only. Whole eggs lighten the crumb and turn it into an ordinary butter cake instead of the dense, keeping cake it should be.

Where to eat gâteau breton

Gâteau breton in Rennes

Le Fournil des Halles ★ 4.1

€ BakeryBreton family baking across three generationsCentreWalk-in only

Le Fournil des Halles bakes a three-generation kouign-amann recipe near the Halles Centrales in Rennes, alongside far breton and buckwheat galettes.

Worth the queueKouign-amann, plain or apple

TipTheir kouign-amann is sold in packaging that keeps it three weeks, the one Breton pastry that survives a suitcase.

Directions

Boulangerie Hoche ★ 4.2

€ BakeryClassic boulangerie with Breton viennoiserieThaborWalk-in only

Boulangerie Hoche bakes one of Rennes' benchmark kouign-amann at 17 Rue Hoche, and its pastry team has riffed the galette-saucisse into a tribute cake.

Worth the queueKouign-amann

TipRue Hoche holds this bakery, 16h30 and the Nabuchodonosor in one block; come hungry and compare kouign-amann.

Directions

Maison Bouvier ★ 4.2

€€ BakeryPâtisserie, macarons and chocolateCentreWalk-in only

Maison Bouvier runs its pâtisserie and chocolaterie across Rennes, the Place Toussaints shop as flagship and a counter in the Hoche Visitation centre.

Worth the queueKouign-amann

TipMonday afternoon and Sunday openings close in July and August; the Visitation branch keeps longer standard hours.

Directions

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