佐伊的麥田

A gâteau (pronounced ga-toe) is a French cake, often specifically a sponge cake that may be made from almond flour instead of wheat flour. In general terms, any cake in France may be considered a gâteau, but some French cakes are more gâteaux than cakes you might see in other parts of the world. Yet if you order any kind of cake in France, you will be ordering a gâteau.

Many French cakes are iced cakes and may contain layers, frosting and filling. A couple of special types of cakes may be called petite gâteau, and these became popular in the US in the 1990s. The variants of petite gâteau are extremely disparate, referencing two completely different dishes.

The first petite gâteau is a chocolate cake with a chocolate filling that is warm and gooey, and is often served with ice cream. This cake may be known as molten lava cake in some restaurants. The second version consists of layers of crepes with jam or fruit between the layers, that are stacked high. This too is usually served warm or hot in slices, and may be garnished on top with powdered sugar.

In more general terms, you’ll find cake of every type. The only thing that gâteau does not apply to are cream pastries, pies or tarts. Cheesecake is considered a cake, as are a variety of loaf or pound cakes. Some French cakes are very simple. A recipe for gâteau au yaourt is similar to abuttermilk cake and is usually baked in single layers. It doesn’t have a topping, but is served in plain slices.

Buche de Noel is a special cake made around the Christmas holidays. It is a flat layer of chocolate sponge cake, topped with whipped plain or almond flavored cream. This is then rolled to resemble a log shape and covered with chocolate ganache. In the US, we may know this as a Yule log or a holiday log. Similarly, the French make a number of variants of the Buche, like the wonderful jelly roll, using almond or vanilla sponge cake, whipped cream and jam in a cream-colored log that is sprinkled with confectioners sugar.

If you happen to be in France or Quebec, desperate for cake, check local bakeries for lots of varieties that will keep your mouth watering. Most utilize the French principals of cooking, making use of fresh ingredients and not skimping on butter or cream. Just don’t forget to ask for gâteau instead of cake.