Far Bretonfrench Prune Cake Food

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(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.

FAR BRETON

Steps:

• Combine milk, eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt in blender jar. Blend 1 minute. Add flour and pulse just until blended, scraping down sides of jar. Cover and chill in jar at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.
• Combine prunes, 1/2 cup water, and raisins in heavy small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until fruit is softened and water is almost evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat. Pour brandy over fruit. Using long match, ignite brandy. Let flames burn off, shaking pan occasionally. Transfer fruit to small bowl. Cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Butter 8-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom with parchment or waxed paper. Butter paper. Dust pan with flour, shaking out excess; place on baking sheet.
• Reblend batter until smooth, about 5 seconds. Pour into prepared cake pan. Drop prunes and raisins into batter, distributing evenly. Bake cake on baking sheet until sides are puffed and brown and knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool cake completely in pan on rack.
• Place piece of parchment or waxed paper on flat plate. Sift powdered sugar onto paper. Run knife around cake in pan to loosen. Invert pan onto paper, releasing cake. Remove pan; peel off paper. Place serving plate over cake and invert. Dust top of cake with additional powdered sugar.

GâTEAU BRETON

Steps:

• In a small pot over medium-high heat, combine prunes, rum and 2 tablespoons water. (Use 1 cup/240 milliliters water if using dried apricots.) Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed (about 5 minutes for prunes, 10 to 15 for apricots). Use a fork to mash into a thick purée. Cover and chill.
• In a food processor, pulse to combine flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add 5 egg yolks and pulse until mixture comes together as a dough. Divide in half, form into disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill at least 2 hours or until firm.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap, roll one of the dough halves into an 8-inch circle. Transfer dough to prepared cake pan, pressing into edges. Spread prune or apricot purée across dough, leaving 3/4 inch border around outside edge. Roll second piece of dough into an 8-inch circle, transfer to cake pan, press around outside edge to stick the pieces together and seal in fruit purée.
• In a small bowl, combine remaining egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water and beat lightly. Brush over top of cake, then use a fork to score a crisscross pattern into the dough. Bake until golden brown, about 50 minutes (cover with foil if cake is browning too quickly). Cool in pan 15 minutes. Flip onto a plate, then invert onto a wire rack and let cool completely.