This is a shortbread cookie, but it stands out in that it is often made to be very thick; almost like a cake. The thickness creates layers of texture we generally don’t see in a shortbread cookie; the outside remains crispy, but the interior is soft and moist. If you prefer crispy cookies, it’s perfectly acceptable and traditional to make them thinner. An egg wash gives them a lovely, deep golden color. The Breton Butter Cookie is from the Brittany region of France, and butter is the star of the show. Breton butter is renowned throughout France, so it makes sense that their eponymous cookie should feature this precious ingredient. If you don’t have access to Breton butter, buy the best butter you can. This recipe was translated from the French. I highly suggest you make this with a kitchen scale, by weight rather than volume. I have provided the volume measurements as well for those who need them.
Ingredients
- For the cookies
1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons best quality salted butter, at room temperature (100 grams)
1/4 cup granulated sugar (60 grams)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch fleur de sel (see note*), or a bit less of regular salt
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (140 g)
- For the egg wash
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon milk
Directions
- Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla, salt and egg yolk until well blended. Incorporate the flour until the dough forms a ball. Pre-heat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Generously flour a work surface and rolling pin, and roll out to 1/4 inch thickness for 24 thinner cookies, or 1/2 inch thickness for 12 thicker cookies. This dough will stick if your surface is not well floured, but to help prevent sticking, you may refrigerate the dough 30 minutes in the refrigerator or 10 minutes in the freezer. With a round cookie cutter about 2-1/2 to 3 inches in diameter, cut out rounds and place on prepared baking sheet. For the egg wash, beat the egg yolk with milk and brush over the tops of the cookies. If desired, you can allow this to dry for a few minutes, and add a second layer of egg wash. Cut shallow slashes in the tops of the cookies for decoration, or else use a cookie stamp to impress a pattern into them. Bake for 12 to 17 minutes, depending on thickness, until the tops are golden. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. If desired, for presentation, serve thick cookies in individual muffin-top sized baking cups (see note**) (the thin cookies will get lost in these, unless you place two or three per liner). Loading gallery media…
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Notes
- * Fleur de sel is a special salt formed on the surface of seawater as it evaporates. Its mineral composition is different from refined table salt and thus has a different, more delicate flavor. You can substitute regular salt if you need to, but use less. Aside from its butter, Brittany is also known for its fleur de sel, so the addition of this ingredient makes the Galette Bretonne truly Breton. I can get it at my regular grocery store, but if you can’t find it at yours, it’s readily available on Amazon.
- ** Muffin top baking cups (or crumbcake liners) are shorter and wider than regular cupcake liners and are available on Amazon.
- Recipe translated from the French from Cuisine-Blog.fr