Far Breton Recipes

FAR BRETON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease a shallow 2 quart baking dish.
• Place the pitted prunes in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the prunes are tender but still hold their shape, about 10 minutes. Drain the prunes and arrange them in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
• Whisk together the flour, white sugar, vanilla sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually pour in the milk, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until combined. Stir in the rum. Pour the batter evenly over the prunes.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F, and bake until the filling is firm, has risen a little, and the top is browned, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

FAR BRETON

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, warm the prunes with the liquor over moderate heat, stirring them a few times while cooking, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Cover, and remove from heat and let cool. (The prunes can be prepared a day or two before using.)
• To make the custard, put the milk, eggs, yolks, sugar, melted butter, vanilla, salt, and flour in a blender. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate the custard for at least four hours, or overnight.
• To bake the far breton, preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
• Generously butter the bottom and sides of a baking dish roughly 10-inches (25-30cm) in length. (Or use a round cake pan of similar diameter, but not a springform pan, which would leak.) Dust with flour and tap out the excess. Strew the prunes in the bottom of the baking dish.
• Stir the chilled custard a few times, then pour it over the prunes and bake until the top is gently browned, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely, then slice into bars.

FAR BRETON

Steps:

• Place eggs, milk, sugar, salt, vanilla, salt, and melted butter in a blender or food processor and blend for 1 minute. Add flour, and pulse several times. Pour batter into a pitcher, cover, and refrigerate for 3 hours, or preferably overnight.
• Meanwhile, place prunes, raisins, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until water is almost evaporated. Turn off heat and pour Armagnac evenly over fruit. Using a long, lighted match, ignite the alcohol and stand back until the flame dies out. Pour the fruit and its liquid into a heatproof bowl, and set aside. If using tea, place prunes and raisins in a heatproof bowl and pour tea evenly over fruit. Let cool to room temperature, cover, and set aside.
• Place rack in center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Butter an 8-by-2-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment or wax paper. Butter the paper and dust the pan with flour, tapping out any excess. Place the pan on a baking sheet.
• Remove batter from refrigerator and whisk to reblend. Forcefully tap the bottom of the pitcher on your work surface to break any top bubbles. Pour batter into prepared pan. Add the fruit, evenly distributing it within the batter; discard any remaining soaking liquid. Bake until top of the cake is puffed and brown and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire cooling rack and cool to room temperature.
• To unmold, place a piece or parchment or wax paper over the wire cooling rack and dust with confectioners? sugar. Have your serving plate ready. Run a blunt knife between the cake and the sides of the pan and gently turn cake out onto the prepared rack; quickly invert onto the serving plate. Dust with more confectioners? sugar just before serving.

FAR BRETON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; generously grease a 10-inch baking pan with butter (2-quart capacity).
• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt; stir and make a well in the center.
• Add eggs and whisk until the batter is smooth.
• Stir in the rum, milk, and melted butter.
• Arrange the prunes in the bottom of the baking dish; pour batter on top of the prunes.
• Bake until golden and the custard is set, about 35 minutes.
• Serve in wedges, sprinkled with confectioners' sugar; enjoy warm.
• If you are really ambitious, flip it out of the baking dish like a flan.

FAR BRETON(FRENCH PRUNE CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a food processor or mixer, blend together the flour and eggs until smooth. Mix in the sugar and vanilla and blend well. Slowly add the milk and mix well to make a smooth batter. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Cover prunes with hot water and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Melt the butter in the bottom of a two quart or so baking dish in oven. Tip the pan and swirl the butter so that it coats evenly the bottom and sides. Pour the batter into the pan and add the floured prunes (the flour should help to keep the fruit from sinking to the bottom.
• Bake for 30 minutes at 400°F Turn the oven off and leave the cake in the oven for 30 more minutes.
• Serve warm and sprinkled with powder sugar.
• VARIATIONS.
• Use a mix of raisins and prunes for the fruit.
• Soak the fruit in hot weak tea for a couple of hours. This is especially recommended if you are using drier prunes. The ones we get from Agen are so moist and plump, I don't bother with this, but it is frequently seen in French recipes.
• Soak the fruit in brandy for a couple of hours. I haven't tried this, but I'm sure it adds an extra something especially if you like alcohol tastes in your desserts.