Far Breton with a slice removed

Guy Branum’s Traditional Far Breton Recipe

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Guy Branum, the Unofficial Official Ambassador for California Prunes, shares his delicious recipe for Far Breton- an easy, classic French dessert that is a rich custard that is studded with Cognac-soaked prunes.

A slice of Guy Branum's Far Breton on pie cutter

What is a Far Breton?

Similar to a clafoutis, a Far Breton is an iconic prune dessert from the Brittany region of France, and Guy Branum’s version is buttery, rich, and filled with brandy-spiked prunes. 

What does Far Breton mean?

In most parts of France, the word “flan” refers to a custard-like dessert. In Brittany, however, they use the word “far” instead of flan. Breton is the word used for the people of Brittany. Hence, the name Far Breton very loosely translates to “flan from Brittany”.

Far Breton in a cast iron skillet with a slice removed
slicing into Guy Branum's Far Breton

What ingredients are used to make Far Breton?

The star ingredient of this recipe is inarguably the brandy-soaked prunes – but it does require a few other ingredients, too. Here’s what you’ll need to make Guy Branum’s Far Breton recipe:

Milk

Eggs

Sugar

Butter

Vanilla

Salt

Flour

Black tea

Prunes

Brandy (or rum)

How to make Far Breton

You’ll start by boiling the prunes with a brandy and black tea for about 3 minutes. Let the prunes cool.

Add the milk, eggs, sugar, 5 tablespoons of melted butter, vanilla, salt, and flour to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, then set aside for at least two hours.

Pro-tip: You can prep the batter and prunes ahead of time! Just refrigerate overnight, then finish your Far Breton the following day (we know, waiting is the worst).

The next day (or a few hours later), preheat your oven to 400F (170C). Then, melt two tablespoons of butter in a skillet. Pour the batter in, and place the prunes on top of the batter (try to space them out somewhat evenly).

Remove the skillet from the stovetop and place your Far Breton in the oven for 45-50 minutes.

Once the custard is set and the top is a golden brown color, remove the Far Breton from the oven and enjoy!

sprinkling powdered sugar on a slice of Far Breton
Far Breton with a slice removed

Guy Branum’s Traditional Far Breton Recipe

Guy Branum
Similar to a clafoutis, a Far Breton is an iconic prune dessert in the Brittany region of France, and Guy Branum’s version is buttery, rich, and filled with brandy-spiked prunes. 
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 8 servings
Calories 337 kcal

Equipment

  • Cast iron or oven-safe skillet
  • Food processor or blender

Ingredients
 
 

  • 25 pitted California prunes
  • ⅓ cup brandy or rum
  • ⅓ cup strong black tea
  • 2 cups milk
  • 3 eggs
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 5 TBSP unsalted butter melted + 2 tablespoons
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ⅛ tsp kosher salt
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour

Instructions
 

  • Combine the prunes, brandy (or rum), and black tea in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then strain and discard the liquid. Let the prunes cool thoroughly.
  • In a blender or food processor, combine the milk, eggs, sugar, 5 tablespoons of melted butter, vanilla, salt, and flour. Blend until smooth, then let the batter sit at least 2 hours to hydrate the flour. The batter and prunes can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated overnight.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (205C).
  • Heat a cast iron skillet over medium, then melt in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Let the solids brown a little, then swirl the butter around your pan and pour in the batter. Gently add the prunes, distributing them throughout the pan.
  • Remove the skillet from the burner and place on a center rack in the oven. Cook for 45-50 minutes, until the custard is set and the top is a rich, golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm!

Video

Notes

Once you’ve mastered this delicious Far Breton recipe, try this Gooey Chocolate Pudding Cake by Chef Peter Sidwell or Claire Saffitz’s Mascarpone Cake with Red Wine Prunes next!

Nutrition

Calories: 337kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 6gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 85mgPotassium: 359mgFiber: 3gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 651IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 102mgIron: 1mg
Keyword clafoutis, far breton, guy branum, Holiday
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Guy Branum - the official unofficial ambassador for California Prunes.

Who is Guy Branum?

Guy Branum is an American actor and comedian. He also happens to be the official unofficial Ambassador for California Prunes. Guy grew up in Yuba City, California, where he was surrounded by prune orchards. He’s passionate about his love for California Prunes – and is on a mission to convince the planet (or at least most of Hollywood) that they’re wrong about prunes.

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