Far Breton with Prunes
Far Breton is a baked custard from Brittany, traditionally a batter of flour, eggs, milk, and sugar poured over prunes and baked until it sets into something between a flan and a clafoutis. Rebuilt without the eggs, dairy, refined flour, or sugar, it holds up better than you would expect, because the prunes and the custard were always the point. Blended silken tofu sets into the same tender, sliceable body, almond flour and a little cornstarch give it structure, and dates carry the sweetness. Prunes are the classic studding and worth keeping; soak them so they stay soft. Bake it the day before if you can, since a night in the fridge firms it and deepens the flavor.
Ingredients
- 12 wholes Prunes
- 12 oz Silken tofu
- 1 cup Unsweetened soy milk
- 1/2 cup Almond flour
- 3 tbsp Cornstarch
- 6 wholes Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 Orange, zested
- 1/2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon
Method
- Heat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Cover the prunes with hot water and let them soak 10 minutes while you make the batter. Plumping them first keeps them soft and juicy in the finished far rather than leathery.
- Blend the silken tofu, soy milk, almond flour, cornstarch, pitted dates, orange zest, and cinnamon until completely smooth, a good two minutes. The tofu sets like an egg custard as it bakes, while the cornstarch and almond flour give it structure in place of the wheat flour and eggs a traditional far uses.
- Drain the prunes and scatter them across the bottom of a non-stick or parchment-lined baking dish about 8 inches (20 cm) square. Pour the batter over them; the prunes will float partway up, which is how the far is meant to look.
- Bake 40 to 45 minutes until the top is set and browned in patches and the center barely wobbles. It looks underdone in the middle when you pull it, which is right, because a custard keeps setting as it cools.
- Let it cool completely, at least an hour, before cutting. This is the hard part and the important one: warm, it is a pudding; fully cooled, it slices into the dense, sliceable far it should be. Serve at room temperature.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 180 calories, 7 g protein, 4 g fiber, 50 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
