Palet Breton (French Butter Biscuits)

Quick Summary: Palet Breton (also spelled palets bretons) are thick, crumbly French butter biscuits from Brittany, made with egg yolks, salted butter, sugar, and flour. This palet Breton recipe bakes in pastry rings at 300°F (150°C) for a crisp edge and tender, melt-away center.

What is palet Breton?

Palet Breton, French for "Breton puck," is a thick, round French butter biscuit from Brittany. The name (pronounced pah-LAY bruh-TON) comes from the shuffleboard game, since the baked biscuits look like the small cast-iron pucks used to play it.

These salted butter biscuits date to the late 19th century and are a specialty of the Brittany region, a part of northern France famous for its rich, salted butter.

As per Brittany tourism:

Brittany's butter is special, most often salted, in particular using salt from Guérande. There are two reasons for that. First, butter is mainly milk (in particular, cream), and Brittany is a big milk producer. Secondly, in the past, the region was exempt from the salt tax. Brittany brought these two products together to ensure that its butter would keep for longer. That's also the reason why Breton butter retains all the flavors of the milk.

The Biscuit Traou Mad company in Pont-Aven is the best-known producer of authentic palet Breton in France.

Sold plain, packaged, or in bulk, they now also come in chocolate versions, with chocolate chips or coated in milk or dark chocolate.

Sable Breton vs. palet Breton

Sable Breton and palet Breton are both French classics from Brittany, and both are rich, buttery, and salted, since a little salt sharpens their sweetness and rounds out the flavor.

The difference is in texture and thickness. Sable Breton ("sable" means "sand" in French) is a thin, flat shortbread with a fine, sandy crumb. Palet Breton is a thick, puffed biscuit with a tender, cakey center, baked in a ring so it keeps its round shape and height.

The two names are still often confused, but either way both rank among the most popular French cookies.

Pastry rings vs. muffin pan

For authentic palet Breton with clean, straight sides, bake the dough in metal Breton biscuit rings from the French brand Gobel. These small rings measure 2 ⅓ inches (6 cm) across and ½ inch (1.2 cm) high, and are sold in sets of six.

Can you make palet Breton without pastry rings? Yes. Use a muffin pan instead: the cavity walls aren't perfectly straight, but they hold the dough so the biscuits keep their round, thick shape and bake just as well.

Why you'll love this recipe

• The recipe calls for a few ingredients and is easy to make.
• These French butter biscuits are a new baking alternative to use your favorite muffin mold.
• Palet Breton are kids' favorites due to their crispiness.
• The biscuits are perfect for afternoon tea or coffee time.
• These bite-sized treats make a pretty edible gift and are an excellent party food.

Ingredients

The proportions of these French butter biscuits are crucial for the best baking results. Please do not change the ingredient amounts.

• Egg yolks: use egg yolks from large eggs.

• Butter: This is the star of the recipe. Use softened, unsalted butter; if using salted butter, reduce the added salt accordingly. I recommend high-quality, high-fat European-style butter, as the flavor and texture of these biscuits depend heavily on the quality of the butter.

• Sugar: The palets Breton require powdered (icing) sugar.

• Flour: All-purpose flour is needed for this recipe; although, feel free to replace half of the all-purpose flour with buckwheat flour.

• Salt: Use regular salt or fleur de sel for the authentic taste.

• Baking powder: To avoid a tinny taste, use aluminum-free baking powder.

Equipment

You need only a few basic tools to make these French butter biscuits:

• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Flour sifter
• Rolling pin
• Round cookie cutter
• Breton pastry rings or a muffin pan
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper

How to make palet Breton step by step

Step 1. Place egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk them until whitish (photo 1). Add the softened butter and beat until homogeneous (photo 2).

Step 2. Using a flour sifter, sift the flour, salt, and baking powder into the butter mixture and mix to form the dough, but do not overmix (photo 3).

Step 3. Wrap the dough in plastic film and refrigerate it for three to four hours.

Step 4. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange pastry rings on it. Take the dough out of the fridge and roll it out between two sheets of parchment to about ⅔ inch (1.5 cm) thick.

Step 5. Using a cookie cutter of about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter, cut the dough into small disks (photo 4).

Step 6. Place the dough disks in the unbuttered pastry rings (photo 5) or the cavities of a muffin pan.

Step 7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the biscuits from the oven and let them cool a bit in the rings or the muffin tin. Then carefully remove biscuits from the rings by pushing them from the bottom (photo 6).

Step 8. If using the muffin mold, turn it out and gently remove the biscuits. Use the tip of a knife to help remove pallets if needed.

Expert tips

1. Since the dough is quite sticky, work as fast as you can. If the dough softens at any step, bring it to the fridge (or even freezer) for a few minutes to firm it up.
2. To help coax dough disks from the parchment paper after rolling, use a pastry scraper or metal spatula.
3. Alternatively, roll the dough into a cylinder 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter, wrap it in plastic film, refrigerate, then cut it into equal disks about ⅓ inch (1.5 cm) thick.
4. The biscuits are extremely crumbly when hot. Let them cool in their pastry rings (or a muffin mold) before removing them.

Recipe variations

This palet Breton recipe is a reliable base you can adapt with a few simple changes:

• Buckwheat: swap the all-purpose flour for buckwheat flour, the traditional Breton grain, for a nuttier, gluten-free biscuit.
• Vanilla or citrus: add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or a little lemon or orange zest to the dough.
• Rum: stir in a teaspoon of dark rum, a classic Breton pairing.
• Chocolate-dipped: dip the cooled biscuits halfway in melted dark chocolate.
• Extra salt: sprinkle a few flakes of fleur de sel on top before baking for a salted-butter finish.

Storing & freezing

Store palet Breton in a metal tin or another airtight container at room temperature, away from moisture, for up to two weeks. Their high butter content keeps them crisp.

To freeze, place the baked, cooled biscuits in an airtight container with parchment between the layers and freeze for up to three months. You can also freeze the raw dough disks and bake them straight from frozen, adding a couple of minutes to the baking time.

Recipe FAQ

What is the difference between palet Breton and sable Breton?
Both come from Brittany and use salted butter, but palet Breton is thicker and puffier (baked in rings), while sable Breton is thinner and flatter with a sandier, more crumbly texture.

Why is salted butter used in palet Breton?
Salted butter, ideally with fleur de sel, is traditional in Brittany and gives these biscuits their signature savory-sweet flavor. Use a good European-style butter for the best result.

What is European-style butter?
European-style butter (such as Irish Kerrygold sold in the States) has less water, a softer texture, and a higher butterfat content than regular American butter, which adds flavor and helps keep the biscuits from spreading. Read more about the difference between European and American butter.

Can I make palet Breton without pastry rings?
Yes. Bake the dough disks in the cavities of a muffin pan instead of Breton rings so they hold their round shape and thickness.

How do I make gluten-free palet Breton?
As Madam Mercotte advised, please replace the all-purpose flour with buckwheat flour and follow the same recipe.

How do I serve palet Breton?
Enjoy these little biscuits on their own, with a cup of tea or coffee. They also pair well with ice cream.

How many calories are in palet Breton?
One palet Breton has about 160 calories.

More delicious teatime treats you will love

• Brown Butter French Financiers
• Blackberry Friands
• Banana Cupcakes
• French Madeleines

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The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was originally published on April 17, 2018. It has been revised to include improved content and photos.