Gâteau du Vully

• All-purpose flour 250g (2 cups)

  For the yeasted dough. Substitute: Bread flour, same weight (a slightly chewier crumb).

  How to choose: Plain white flour, fresh and free of lumps.

  How to prepare: Spoon into the cup and level off.

  Required
• Whole milk 200ml (3/4 cup + 2 tbsp)

  Warmed, for the dough. Substitute: Semi-skimmed milk, same amount.

  How to choose: Fresh milk, not sour.

  How to prepare: Warm gently until lukewarm, about 37°C (98°F) — hot milk kills the yeast.

  Required
• Active dry yeast 10g (about 3 tsp, 1 1/2 sachets)

  Raises the dough. Substitute: Instant yeast, same weight (skip the 10-minute proof).

  How to choose: Yeast that foams in warm water; dead yeast stays flat.

  How to prepare: Stir into the warm milk with the sugar and rest 10 minutes until foamy.

  Required
• Granulated sugar 60g (1/4 cup + 1 tbsp)

  25g for the dough, 35g crushed for the topping. Substitute: Caster sugar, same weight.

  How to choose: Fine white sugar; sugar cubes crushed in a bag work well for the topping.

  How to prepare: Stir 25g into the warm milk; crush the remaining 35g coarsely for the topping.

  Required
• Unsalted butter 70g (5 tbsp)

  50g melted into the dough, 20g in flakes for the topping. Substitute: Salted butter (leave out the salt in the dough).

  How to choose: Firm, cold butter for the topping flakes.

  How to prepare: Melt 50g and cool slightly; keep 20g cold and cut into small flakes.

  Required
• Egg 50g (1 large)

  For the dough. Substitute: No good substitute — the egg enriches the dough.

  How to choose: A fresh egg with a firm yolk.

  How to prepare: Beat lightly before adding to the dough.

  Required
• Egg yolk 17g (1)

  Whisked with the cream for the topping wash. Substitute: No good substitute — the yolk gives the topping its gold.

  How to choose: A fresh egg with a firm, bright yolk.

  How to prepare: Separate carefully, keeping the yolk whole.

  Required
• Double cream 200ml (3/4 cup + 2 tbsp)

  Swiss crème double, for the topping wash. Substitute: Heavy whipping cream, same amount (a little less rich).

  How to choose: The thickest, richest cream you can find — Swiss double cream is about 45% fat.

  How to prepare: Whisk with the egg yolk just before using.

  Required
• Fine sea salt 3g (1/2 tsp)

  For the dough. Substitute: Table salt, same amount.

  How to choose: Fine salt dissolves evenly.

  How to prepare: Mix into the flour.

  Required
• Ground cinnamon 2g (1 tsp)

  Optional, dusted over the top. Substitute: Leave it out — the classic cake is often plain.

  How to choose: Cinnamon that smells sweet and warm.

  How to prepare: Dust over the topping before baking.

  Optional

Estimated cost: Low — about $1–2 per serving at home (USD)

info The sweet version is the famous one — the salée au sucre. The same dough with bacon and cumin instead of sugar and cream is the older salted version, served as an apéritif.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

1. 1

   Make the dough and let it rise

   20 Mins + 60 Mins rise Warm milk, about 37°C (98°F)

   Stir the yeast and 25g of the sugar into the warm milk and rest for 10 minutes until foamy. Tip the flour and salt into a large bowl, add the yeasted milk, the melted 50g of butter and the beaten egg, and mix into a soft dough. Knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, then put it in an oiled bowl, cover, and leave in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.

   The milk must feel just warm on your wrist — hotter than 43°C (110°F) kills the yeast and the dough will never rise.

   Done when: The dough is smooth, springy, and twice its original size.

2. 2

   Shape the cake and press the wells

   10 Mins Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)

   Heat the oven to 250°C (482°F) and butter a 28 cm round tin. Knock the dough back, roll it out, and press it into the tin, building the sides about 2 cm high. Prick the base all over with a fork, then press your fingertips into the surface to make shallow wells — the puits d'amour — or score a diamond pattern with a pastry wheel, the way the Vully bakers do.

   Press the wells deep enough to hold the cream — shallow dimples let it run off in the oven.

   Done when: The tin is lined, the base is pricked, and the surface is dimpled with wells.

3. 3

   Brush with the cream wash

   5 Mins Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)

   Whisk the double cream with the egg yolk. Brush the surface of the dough with half of this wash, getting it into the wells, and sprinkle with half of the crushed sugar and half of the butter flakes. Dust with cinnamon if you like it.

   Keep the second half of the cream wash for after baking — it is what gives the finished cake its shine.

   Done when: The surface is glossy with cream, with sugar and butter flakes sitting in the wells.

4. 4

   Bake in a very hot oven

   12 Mins 250°C (482°F)

   Bake on the lowest oven rack for 10 to 12 minutes until the cake is deep golden and the sugar in the wells has melted into little pools of caramel. The cake bakes fast in a very hot oven, so watch it from 8 minutes on.

   If the top browns too fast, move the tin down a rack — do not turn the oven down, or the crumb goes heavy.

   Done when: Deep golden top, caramel pools in the wells, and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.

5. 5

   Glaze, rest and slice

   10 Mins Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)

   Take the cake out and brush it at once with the remaining cream-and-yolk wash, which melts into a shine. Leave it in the tin for 10 minutes so the topping sets, then lift it out and cut into 8 wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

   Cutting it straight from the oven makes the cream run — 10 minutes of patience gives clean wedges.

   Done when: The topping is glossy and set, and the cake holds its shape when sliced.

vital_signs Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: B vitamins (flour, yeast, egg), calcium (milk, cream), vitamin A (butter, egg yolk).

restaurant Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

warning Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

• General adultsA rich, sweet slice for coffee time — one slice is enough with a hot drink.
• ChildrenSweet, soft and popular with children; cut a small slice and skip the cinnamon if they dislike it.
• ElderlySoft and easy to chew; serve a small warm slice with coffee and keep the portion modest.
• Pregnant womenFine when the cake is baked right through and eaten fresh; the egg is fully cooked in the oven.
• Breastfeeding womenAn energy-rich coffee-time slice; enjoy it fresh and keep to one slice.
• AthletesA quick energy hit after training — about 34 g of carbohydrate per slice — though it is light on protein, so pair it with yoghurt or nuts.
• Weight gainA good choice — energy-dense, sweet and easy to eat a second slice of.
• Weight lossRich and sweet, so take a half slice with black coffee or tea, and save the rest for another day.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

• DiabetesAbout 34 g of carbohydrate and 10 g of sugar per slice — take a half slice and ask a clinician about portion size.
• High blood pressureSodium is about 229 mg per serving; keep the salt as written and skip salty sides — ask a clinician for personal advice.
• Kidney diseaseThe cream, milk and egg add protein and potassium, which some kidney diets limit — ask a clinician about portion size before eating it regularly.
• GoutNo purine-rich meat here as written, and the cake is vegetarian — ask a clinician if you have questions about your overall diet.
• Stomach issuesRich cream and butter can bother sensitive stomachs; a small slice, well baked, is usually easier — ask a clinician if symptoms persist.
• Cardiovascular diseaseAbout 19 g of fat per slice, mostly saturated fat from butter and cream — enjoy occasionally and keep to one slice; ask a clinician about your overall eating pattern.
• Fatty liverEnergy-dense and rich in saturated fat; keep it an occasional treat and favour a half slice — ask a clinician for personal guidance.
• Food allergiesContains gluten (wheat flour), milk (butter, cream) and egg. Naturally free of nuts, fish and soy.
• Special therapeutic dietsVegetarian as written, but not vegan, gluten-free or low-sugar; if you follow a restricted diet, ask a clinician or dietitian before adapting it.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

kitchen Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store

Cool completely, then cover loosely with foil or a clean cloth; keep at room temperature for the first day.

In the fridge

2 days in the fridge at 4°C (39°F) or below, covered.

In the freezer

Up to 1 month, wrapped well; thaw at room temperature and warm briefly in the oven.

How to reheat

Warm slices in an oven at 160°C (320°F) for 5 minutes until the centre is warm, about 74°C (165°F); do not microwave, or the topping turns rubbery.

Freezing recommended

Only if needed — the cake is best fresh, and the cream topping softens after freezing.

Signs it has spoiled

Sour or off smell, mould on the topping, or a slimy surface — discard it.