Breton

Breton

Fillings: Pecan, Walnut or Cooked Apple

Adapted by Blue Heron Kitchen from Nick Malgieri

It’s been almost 15 years since I went to pastry school.  Peter Kump’s was this tiny, vertical cooking school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, filled with extraordinary teachers.  Nick was one, and he moved from Kump’s, when it closed (Peter passed away), to the Flatiron District, and he’s now directing the pastry program at ICE, the Institute for Culinary Education.  I don’t know him personally, but my former partners at Maurice Pastry do.

Thank you, Nick, for your fantastic recipes and expertise throughout the years. My ‘formal’ training was mostly from your program, and I learned a great deal in a short span of time.

Bretons are butter cakes that are most of the time, filled. I’ve seen recipes for them that are yeasted, but this recipe is not. The Breton originated in Brittany, France.  (Use good quality, fresh, high fat content – 83% - butter, and you’re most of the way there.)  They’re fun to make, hold well, and they feed a crowd.

This recipe requires a kitchen scale.  I have a gorgeous stainless steel one that tares back to zero whenever I tell it to that’s made by Salter.  They’re about $30 now at places like Bed Bath and Beyond or Amazon.    

Breton Dough

1pound unsalted butter, room temperature

1 pound sugar

8 yolks (room temperature eggs, size large)

1 lemon, zested

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

28 oz. all purpose flour

Combine butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.  Beat the paddle attachment on the second speed until very light.  Add yolks, one at a time (the mixture should look like buttercream), then the lemon zest and vanilla.  Sift flour; add to the bowl with the paddle on first speed.  Scrape dough out of bowl.  Use immediately.  The dough will be very soft. This will make 2 Bretons, so you can freeze this, halve it or make the apple filling for another one (below).

Set the dough aside, covered, while you make the filling(s).

Pecan or Walnut Filling (enough for two bretons):

½ pound light brown sugar

4 ounces butter

4 ounces honey

1 pound pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped

Bring brown sugar, butter and honey to a boil in heavy saucepan over medium heat: boil 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Stir in nuts.  Let cool before filling the Breton.

Cooked Apple Filling:

2 ½ pounds Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and halved

4 oz. sugar

2 oz. butter

¼ - 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
or
1/2 tsp. allspice (optional)
2 Tbsp. rum or Calvados (optional)

Slice each apple half into 4-5 pieces. Combine apple slices with remaining ingredients in a heavy sauté or saucepan over medium heat.  Cover, cook 5-10 minutes.  Uncover; lower heat, cook until water evaporates.  Cool completely before filling the Breton.

Assembling the Breton:

Preheat oven to 350º F. and put the rack low.

Split the batter in half and reserve half for the second Breton, or pat it into a flattened disc, wrap well and freeze for another time. 

With floured hands, pat 1/2 the dough evenly onto the bottom of a buttered and parchment lined 10” x 2” round cake pan (or ring).  Bring the dough up about an inch up the side of the pan.

Spread the cooled filling(s) on the dough.

Flour a 10” cardboard round or a tart pan bottom.  Flour the remaining dough and press it against the bottom of the round or tart pan bottom.  Slide a thin sharp knife or spatula between the dough and cardboard or pan bottom to loosen it and press it into place, on top of the filling, making sure that the edge of the top crust meets the side of the bottom crust.  Smooth the top crust with the back of a spoon so that it is very smooth, especially around the edge. 

Make an egg wash with an egg yolk and some milk or heavy cream and brush the top with the egg wash.

With the tines facing away from you, draw once down the center, and then two more on either side to make fine ‘tine line’ lattice strokes.  Then, turn on a 45º angle and repeat, to draw a tined lattice, with five more strokes of the fork. 

Brush again with the egg wash.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes on the lowest rack until well colored.  Cool on rack.

Unmolding:  Invert a plate on the Breton and invert the Breton onto it. Carefully lift off the pan and peel off the paper.  Invert another plate on the Breton (now, the Breton is upside down between the two plates), reinvert the Breton and remove the top plate.

Store the Breton, loosely covered, at room temperature up to 2 days.

Yield:  About 10 to 12 portions