Breton Gateau

If there were a rich list for food, this traditional cake from Brittany would be near the top. It’s a melt-in-the-mouth celebration of the local love of butter

225g self-raising flour, sifted (8 ounces)

{I would not use this product so I recommend 8 ounces all-purpose flour and no levening or salt needed, unless it worries you, then add maybe 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp baking powder)


110g golden caster sugar
 (a scant 1/2 cup)
110g icing sugar, sifted

225g lightly salted butter, diced

5 medium egg yolks

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

125g strawberry jam

1 egg yolk, blended with 1 tsp water

1. Place the flour, sugars and butter in a food processor and whiz until the mixture is crumb-like. Blend the yolks with the vanilla in a bowl, add to the dry ingredients and whiz to a sticky dough. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for at least 2 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas 5/375 F and butter a 20cm x 5cm deep cake tin with a removable base. Press half the dough into the tin, lay a sheet of clingfilm over the top and smooth it with your fingers; remove the clingfilm. Stir the jam in a bowl to loosen it, then spread it over the surface of the dough to within 1cm of the rim.

3. Roll out the rest of the dough between 2 layers of clingfilm, or on a floured worktop, into a circle fractionally larger than the cake tin. Lay the circle of dough on top of the jam and press into place with your fingers. Paint the surface liberally with the egg wash.

4. Bake for about 45 minutes until deeply golden, crusty and risen. Run a knife around the collar and leave to cool (it will sink in the middle), then remove from the tin. It will keep well for several days in an airtight container.

© Waitrose. from Waitrose July 2008, page 59