Far breton is a dense custardy baked dessert from Brittany, traditionally studded with prunes, that is served lukewarm or at room temperature. Serve it with cider.
Far Breton (Prune Custard Cake)
Dessert
Custards puddings creams
Vanilla: Extract
Easy
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A flan-like batter of eggs, milk and flour bakes around rum-soaked prunes into a deep brown top with a smooth custard center. Makes 8 slices in about 1 hr.
Prep
20 min
Cook
40 min
Total
1 hr
Yield
8 slices
Ingredients
Adjust yield
slices
Scales from a half to a double batch; give a bigger batch a little more time.
- 5 ½ oz (150 g)pitted prunes
- 2 tbsp (30 ml)dark rum, or strong tea
- ¾ cup (100 g)all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (125 g)granulated sugar
- 3 (150 g)eggs
- 2 cups (500 ml)whole milk, room temperature
- ¼ cup (60 g)unsalted butter, browned and cooled
- 2 tsp (10 ml)vanilla extract
- 1 pinchsalt
Baking tools for this recipe
Instructions
- Soak the prunes in the rum (or hot tea) for 30 minutes while you prepare the rest.
- Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C) and butter a 9-inch (23 cm) round baking dish.
- Melt the butter over medium heat until it foams and smells nutty. Cool.
- Whisk the flour, sugar and salt. Make a well, whisk in the eggs one at a time, then add the milk in 3 parts until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and cooled butter.
- Spread the prunes over the dish, then pour in the batter slowly.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is deep brown and the center is just set; it should reach 160 F (71 C).
- Cool at least 30 minutes; serve lukewarm or at room temperature.
Tips
- Resting the batter 30 minutes gives a smoother texture.
- Use hot tea instead of rum for an alcohol-free version.
- Dusting with powdered sugar is traditional.
- Bake until the custard reaches 160 F (71 C) and refrigerate leftovers.
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Recipe FAQ
How long does it take to make far breton (prune custard cake)?
Plan on 20 minutes of prep and 40 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 8 slices.
How should I store far breton (prune custard cake)?
Refrigerate covered up to 3 days.
Can I make far breton (prune custard cake) ahead?
It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.
Can I use a different form of vanilla?
Yes. This recipe uses 2 tsp vanilla extract (10 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.
Estimated · per serving
Nutrition
Per serving = 1 of 8 servings this recipe makes.
282
Calories / serving
10.2g
Fat
40.8g
Carbs
6.2g
Protein
26.6g
Sugar
Whole recipe (8 servings): ~2256 cal · 82g fat · 326g carbs · 50g protein · 213g sugar
Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.
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