2012-03-02

Le Far Breton : Pitted prunes batter cake


The "Far breton" is a famous cake from Brittany, France. Some versions have Rhum or Kirsch.
Vanilla flavoured, it looks ands tastes like a French Flan (Custard Tart) 
though a bit heavier and dense, BUT it's so easy and quick to make, that we don't really care :)

This recipe has been perfected along the years by a family from brittany :
my step-brother's mother kindly shared it with me, thank you Yvonne !

  Preparation    Hard to do easier than that ;) Cooking time can change depending on your oven. 
I used a glass-pan (Pyrex) and it was longer than expected. 
I have added more prunes than I was supposed to, for a perfect dose of fruits :)

  Tasting    It has to be eaten fresh and cool, so you'll have to wait a bit before tasting it ;) 
According to me, proportions seem perfect. I've seen others on websites with more sugar or flour. 
This one was delicious. It was not as heavy as I remembered some bought in stores !

  To conclude    It took us a few days to finish the pan, there is only 2 of us :) But we both liked it.


Serves 8
   You will need :   
1cup 3/4 flour (7oz/200gr)
1cup white sugar (7oz/200gr)
4 eggs
4 cups hot milk (34 fl.oz/1L)
12 to 15 pitted prunes
1 tsp vanilla extract


Preheat the oven at 350°F (180°C) with the buttered pan inside.

Hot milk
Heat the milk with the vanilla in a medium saucepan. (it must not boil)

Main batter
In a large bowl, mix sugar with flour. Add in the eggs one by one until homogeneous.

Pour the milk
When the milk is steaming but not boiling, pour it slowly on the previous mix, 
stir by hand with a wooden spoon. 
\\ Take your time, don't pour it at once or you will completely miss the recipe //


Pouring
Take the warm pan out of the oven, place the pitted prunes in it 2 inches apart.
Add more or remove some depending on the size of your mold.
Pour slowly the batter on them, really slowly or the prunes will move.

Baking
Bake 1h or so, turn off the oven and let it bake 15 more minutes.
Mine took 1h15 to bake completely. (+15minutes in the oven)
- If you use a stone-pan it can be quicker -
The top must be golden
Mine had a strange shape when out of the oven :D
I should have turned it front to back at halftime-baking... do so !


Let it cool down at room temperature, then cover with a plastic film and reserve in the fridge.
Eat after at least 4 hours in the fridge !