TABELIA

AUTHENTIC RECIPE

Gâteau Battu

Gâteau Battu
Difficulty★★★★☆ Prep45 min Cook40 min Rest3 hr 25 min servings4

A traditional Picardy cake of rich yeasted dough with abundant egg yolks, baked in a tall dedicated mold. Battu, beaten, refers to the old method of beating the dough in a tub for a long time to incorporate air. Also known as an Easter gift from godparents to godchildren, its butter-and-yolk richness depends on judging fermentation well.

Recipe developed and reviewed by the Tabelia Editorial TeamUpdated
100/ 100

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Authenticity Score

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Ingredients (4 servings)

  • Bread flourFor the brioche dough.250 g
  • Fresh baker’s yeastActivate in milk before using.10 g
  • Whole milkFor yeast activation and the dough. Warm to about 35°C.60 ml
  • Egg yolksDo not use the whites. Yolks alone create a rich yellow dough.6 pieces
  • Granulated sugar for the dough30 g
  • Granulated sugar for activating the yeast5 g
  • Salt4 g
  • Unsalted butter for the doughSoften to a creamy consistency. Central to the cake’s richness.130 g
  • Unsalted butter for the moldSpread inside the mold.15 g
  • Powdered sugar for finishingSift through a tea strainer after the cake has cooled.10 g

Method

13 min

Dissolve the yeast in milk

  • 1 Warm 60 ml milk to about 35°C and put it in a bowl.
  • 2 Crumble in 10 g fresh yeast and dissolve, then add and dissolve 5 g granulated sugar for yeast activation.
210 min

Activate the yeast

  • 1 Leave at room temperature for 10 minutes.
  • 2 Fine bubbles rising on the surface show that the yeast is active.
315 min

Mix and knead the dough

  • 1 Mix 250 g bread flour and 4 g salt in a bowl.
  • 2 Make a well and add 6 egg yolks, 30 g granulated sugar for the dough and the activated milk mixture, mixing until the dough comes together.
  • 3 Turn onto the worktop and knead firmly for about 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
412 min

Knead in the butter

  • 1 Add 130 g softened butter in 4–5 batches, kneading thoroughly after each.
  • 2 Slapping the dough against the worktop is the traditional gâteau battu method.

Ready when

Continue when the dough is glossy and no longer sticks to your hands.

Caution

Bring the butter to room temperature and soften it first; cold butter does not blend evenly.

52 hr

First rise

  • 1 Shape the dough into a ball, return to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place, around 27–30°C.

Ready when

The first rise is complete after about 2 hours, once the dough is 2 times its original size.

68 min

Fill the mold

  • 1 Use a tall cylindrical mold about 18 cm across.
  • 2 A kugelhopf mold can substitute; brush its inside evenly with 15 g butter for the mold.
  • 3 Gently deflate the risen dough, shape into a smooth ball and place in the mold.
71 hr

Second rise

  • 1 Cover the mold with a cloth and leave in a warm place for 1 hour, until the dough rises close to the rim.
85 min

Preheat the oven

  • 1 MeanwhileWhile waiting for the second rise, start preheating the oven to 180°C.
  • 2 Measure 10 g powdered sugar into a small container for dusting after baking.
940 min

Bake the gâteau battu

  • 1 Bake at 180°C for 35–40 minutes.
  • 2 It is ready when evenly deep golden and a bamboo skewer inserted in the center comes out without dough.
1015 min

Unmold and cool

  • 1 Leave in the mold for about 5 minutes to lose its initial heat, then unmold and cool completely on a rack.
112 min

Dust with sugar

  • 1 Once completely cool, sift 10 g powdered sugar over the whole cake through a tea strainer.
A view of Barleux, Somme · 1920
Barleux, Somme · 1920France Photo: Gadmer Frédéric · CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized; display cropped)

About this dish

Picardy, centered around the Somme department in northern France, is a land of gently rolling farmland. Its traditional gâteau battu is a yeasted cake baked in a tall cylindrical mold.

Battu means beaten and is said to refer to the old method of tirelessly beating dough in a tub with a long wooden paddle to incorporate air and create lift. Recipes rich in egg yolks have been refined into the signature formulas of individual bakeries.

The Easter custom of godparents giving gâteau battu to their godchildren continues. Homes without the special tall mold sometimes use a kugelhopf tin, and the cake is sliced for Sunday breakfast or when entertaining visitors.

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