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Gâteau Breton (Breton Butter Cake)

Gâteau Breton: a dense, golden Breton butter cake with a shortbread-like crumb and a criss-cross glazed top.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Resting 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Calories: 380
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g salted butter softened
  • 200 g caster sugar
  • 5 egg yolks plus 1 for glazing
  • 1 tbsp dark rum (optional)
  • 300 g plain flour

Method
 

  1. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
  2. Beat in the 5 yolks one at a time, then the rum.
  3. Fold in the flour to a soft dough. Chill for 1 hour.
  4. Heat the oven to 180°C. Press the dough into a buttered 23 cm tart tin.
  5. Brush with the remaining yolk and draw a criss-cross pattern with a fork.
  6. Bake for 40–45 minutes until deep golden. Cool in the tin.

Notes

Use good salted butter. It is the main flavour of the cake.