Far Breton, its history and our best addresses

Anne Debbasch | 8/21/24

Far Breton, the emblematic dessert of Brittany, has survived the ages with its traditional prune recipe. Discover its history and the best Gault&Millau addresses for tasting it.

A cross between pastry and bakery, far - which means wheat - is an easy-to-make, ultra-gourmet dessert. Although it may be likened to a prune flan, it's nevertheless a different specialty claimed by the Bretons!

Its creation dates back to the 18th century, when it was a kind of buckwheat flour-based porridge baked in the oven and served savory to accompany meat. Its sweetened version became popular in the 19th century, first plain and then enriched with prunes. Although the dried fruit is not Breton, we owe it to the sailors who ate it to protect themselves from scurvy. Today, far has become an unmissable regional specialty, with an annual competition held in Saint-Malo. Made without dough, unlike flan, with which it should not be confused, its basic ingredients are flour, eggs, sugar, salted butter and prunes. After that, it's up to each pastry chef to find the right recipe and the right recipe!

Loïc Guillemin, Maison Gourmande, Laillé

Twice winner of the Far Breton competition (2014 and 2016), Loïc Guillemin works hard every day to prepare his far according to the rules of the art. "It's made with raw milk. For the trick, it's important that the milk is warmed to 37°C. For my part, I use pitted prunes, and the Rum brings its aromas, but it shouldn't be too present; its perfume, on the other hand, is essential. "Moulded directly into a cake tin, this cake is best eaten at room temperature, to allow the flavours to develop fully.

Where? 20 Rue de la Halte, 35890 Laillé
www.lamaisongourmande.net

Arnaud Larher, in Paris

The choice of ingredients is crucial: free-range eggs, pitted prunes, quality rum. And remember, a Far is not a Flan! "A far is less firm than a flan and softer. It's also less rich, since there's no cream, only milk. Cooking is very important; it must be slow and done over a low heat so that the far candies without burning." At Arnaud Larher's, it's best eaten very lightly warmed by the sun, or in the warmth of an unlit oven, with a chilled brut cider. For a snack, you'll need to be patient, as the patissier makes them at certain weekends!

Where? 53 rue Caulaincourt, 75018 Paris
www.arnaudlarher.com

Jean-Marc Pavoine, A la Belle Meunière, Saint-Cast-le-Guildo

A family recipe handed down since 1978, awarded in 2023 and again in 2024 with the 1ᵉʳ prize in the Far Breton competition. "Taking part in this competition made me take an interest in the recipe so that the realization is as regular as possible. Our far is more vanilla, more golden than dark, and very moist. The most important thing is to work with room-temperature ingredients, which are slowly brought up to 50°C. In this way, the far begins to bake before going into the oven, and retains its golden hue." A rum-free, vanilla-flavored far that's best enjoyed at room temperature, accompanied by a bowl of cider!

Where? 18 rue du Duc d'Aiguillon 22380 Saint-Cast-le-Guildo
www.facebook.com/A-la-Belle-Meuniere

Laurent Le Daniel, Relais Desserts, Rennes

"Far is a cake that looks simple to make, but it's not. The main difficulty is baking it, because the final mixture is liquid. So it's vital to avoid a two-layer appearance after baking." The Far Breton competition helps to raise quality standards and attracts over twenty pastry chefs and bakers every year.

Where? 19 Rue Jules Simon, 35000 Rennes
www.patisserieledaniel.

Laurent Le Daniel - DR

Maelig Georgelin Au Petit Prince, Relais Desserts, Etel

"The specificity of our far is that we use a lot of cream to prepare the mixture and a little milk, unlike the traditional recipe, which makes it creamier and more melt-in-the-mouth. Similarly, we add almond powder to make it softer and more melt-in-the-mouth", confides Maelig Georgelin. No rum in this far, but vanilla to perfume this signature cake!