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Gâteau battu
Tall egg-rich brioche cake
Picardy's tall, fluted brioche-cake rich with egg yolks and butter
FrenchPicardy's tall, fluted gâteau battu ("beaten cake") gets its name from the long beating its dough needs: so many egg yolks and so much butter go in that it is closer to a thick batter than a bread dough. In the Somme it is the cake of family celebrations, first communions and weddings, and of Sunday breakfast, and it is baked in a distinctive tall, ridged mould that gives it the look of a chef's toque. The crumb is yellow, very light, buttery and only gently sweet. Serve it in slices with rhubarb jam, poached fruit or crème anglaise, or toasted the next day. Unmoulding too soon is how it collapses: the crumb is so tender that it needs 10 minutes to firm in the tin. Chef's tip: let the dough rise slowly until it reaches the rim of the mould, even if that takes 3 hours; rushing it gives a dense, cakey bottom.
- Total time
- 300 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the dough
- 10 ½ oz strong white bread flour
- ¼ oz instant dried yeast
- 2 ⅛ oz caster sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 ½ tbsp whole milklukewarm
- 10 egg yolksat room temperature
- 1 egg
- 8 oz buttervery soft
For the mould
- ⅔ oz buttersoftened
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Generously butter a tall 18 cm fluted gâteau battu mould (or a 2 litre panettone tin or brioche mould) with ⅔ oz butter.
Step 2: Put 10 ½ oz strong white bread flour, ¼ oz instant dried yeast, 2 ⅛ oz caster sugar and 1 tsp salt in a mixer bowl. Add 2 ½ tbsp whole milk, 10 egg yolks and 1 egg and beat with the paddle on low for 3 minutes.
3 minStep 3: Turn the speed to medium and beat for 10 minutes, until the dough turns glossy and starts to slap against the sides of the bowl.
10 minStep 4: Add 8 oz butter in four goes, beating until each one disappears. Then beat for 5–8 minutes more, until the dough is shiny, very soft and pulls away from the bowl in long elastic strands.
10 minStep 5: Scrape the dough into the mould; it should fill it by about a third. Cover and leave in a warm, draught-free place for 2½–3 hours, until it rises to the rim.
165 minStep 6: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Bake on a low shelf for 40–45 minutes, covering with foil after 20 minutes, until deep golden, a skewer comes out clean and the centre reads 194°F.
43 minStep 7: Leave in the mould for 10 minutes so the crumb firms, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely before slicing.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gâteau battu take?
- About 300 minutes in total: 255 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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