Originating in Brittany, France, Breton pastries are known far and wide for their generous use of salted butter.
In the 14th century, the French government introduced a tax, called gabelle, on the sale of consumer goods. By the 15th century, the term was mostly used to denote a salt tax, or a tax on the consumption of salt. France was known to have widely varying tax rates, with many regions gaining unfair tax cuts and exemptions based on clergy and nobility in the area, who used their power to gain certain privileges that echoed practices from past feudal systems. At this same time, due to much political bargaining when the region was formally integrated into France, Brittany was considered legally exempt from the widespread salt tax. The widespread disparity in tax rates, particularly the salt tax, is often cited as a root cause of the French Revolution in 1789.
The peninsular region of Brittany had long been a major producer of both dairy products and sea salt. Because of this, bakers, chefs, and home cooks liberally used salt. Not only was it used to preserve foods and prevent spoilage in non–shelf-stable items such as dairy products, but salt also provided added flavor to all their cooking and baking. Using salted butter in baked goods cut through the richness of the butterfat and amplified the subtle sweetness of the fresh local dairy, making it a popular ingredient that remained in regional dishes for centuries. Even after the abolition of the salt tax following the French Revolution, salted butter was still widely used in Brittany, and that continues to this day.
Although we typically use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt in a recipe, we’ll happily reach for salted butter to bake these Breton pastries.