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PGI — Pays de la Loire
A dense, buttery brioche, rich in crème fraîche, the Easter bread of the Vendée bocage — ancestor of its plaited cousin, the brioche.
Pastry or bakery speciality from Pays de la Loire, PGI (IGP) since 2013.
AI-generated illustration
According to local tradition, the Gâche vendéenne is the ancestor of the Brioche vendéenne: a short, unplaited loaf with a denser crumb, whose fermentation was deliberately cut short to achieve a firm consistency. The PGI (IGP) specifications date the documented tradition of the "pacaude" — the Easter cake of the Vendée bocage — to the 19th century, whilst acknowledging older practices; certain local sources trace these domestic customs as far back as the Middle Ages.
Originally made on farms by housewives, gâche was gradually taken up by bakers and pastry chefs from the 1920s onwards, before enjoying wider commercial distribution throughout the 20th century.
What distinguishes the gâche from other Vendée cakes, including brioche, is the addition of crème fraîche to the dough — an ingredient that the Vendée terroir naturally provides: the département is a major dairy basin, and part of its territory even falls within the geographical area of the AOC Beurre Charente-Poitou. Butter, eggs and wheat flour complete this base, but it is the cream that gives the gâche its tight crumb and characteristic lactic aromas.
The Gâche is the traditional Easter bread of the Vendée bocage: kneaded on Good Friday and baked on Holy Saturday, it was enjoyed on Easter Sunday upon returning from Mass, first as a family and then with neighbours in the following days. Like its cousin, the Brioche vendéenne, it belongs to a family of viennoiseries once baked to celebrate the end of Lent and the arrival of spring — a craft originally passed down by mothers, before being taken up by artisan bakers.
Appearance
An elongated oval loaf, strictly unplaited, with a golden crust scored lengthways.
Aroma
Dominant lactic aromas, contributed by the crème fraîche, often complemented by notes of vanilla, orange blossom or eau-de-vie.
Taste
A pronounced sweet flavour, buttery and smooth, with the characteristic milky note of crème fraîche.
Texture
A tight, compact crumb, far denser than that of brioche vendéenne which pulls apart easily; a melt-in-the-mouth, soft texture.
Sourdough starter produced in the bakery, combined with baker's yeast (2% maximum).
Slow incorporation of the flour, eggs, butter, crème fraîche and sugar.
Initial fermentation stage, between the end of kneading and shaping.
Shaped into an oval, without a mould; no plaiting.
Serve warm or at room temperature, generously sliced. Perfect for Easter breakfast or Sunday afternoon snacks. Pairs well with a medium-dry white wine from the Val de Loire, a sweet Breton cider, or a café-crème.
Since: 2013
Area covered: Entire Vendée (85), and neighbouring cantons of Loire-Atlantique (44), Maine-et-Loire (49), Deux-Sèvres (79) and Charente-Maritime (17)
Key requirements: Flour ≥ 42%, eggs ≥ 10%, butter ≥ 10%, crème fraîche ≥ 5% (min. 30% fat), sugar ≥ 10%, sourdough starter mandatory, oval shaping without a mould, sold unsliced, weight ≥ 300 g
Association
Artisan
Artisan
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