A yummy gateau is simply the best treat you can get on your birthday. Once you get your hands on this yummy French dessert you wouldn’t think twice about how to eat Gateaux, you will just gobble it down. I have always been a big fan of all kinds of Gateau since the day my husband brought home a Coffee Layer Gateau for my 25th birthday. Here are some interesting snippets of information about gateaux and how to eat it:

 
 

 
What is a Gateau?
 
Gateau is the French word for cake and the plural of Gateau is Gateaux. Generally any cake made in France is considered to be a gateau nowadays so there is a chance that you can get confused. Just remember that any cake from France can be called a gateau but the term gateau doesn’t apply to pastries, pies or tarts.
 
The Gateau is also usually attributed to a sponge cake made from almond flour instead of wheat flour.  It can have a génoise base and a cream or butter cream filling. The filling can also be custard, fruits or nuts. The cake is usually light and can be rectangular or round in shape. The gateaux is often decorated with fresh toppings like fruits especially strawberries or/and whipped cream. Spun sugar and chocolate is also used to decorate the gateau. Inevitably, the Gateau will look fancy and appealing because of the care taken with the decoration and filling. Many of the Gateaux can also be layered and creamed.
 
So now we know that the Gateau is usually a light sponge like cake made from a flour mixture , but did you know that the flour mixture has a dough like composition that can actually be used to make pastries too.
 
Some incredible examples of Gateau
 
One of the most popular types of gateau is the petite gateau. The petite gâteau is a wonderful chocolate cake with a warm and yummy chocolate filling. The Petite Gateau is served with ice cream. In some restaurants the petite gateau is called the molten lava cake.
 
Another version of the Petite Gateau consists of crepes stacked up to make high pile with jam or fruit between the layers. This is usually served warm or hot with a little powdered sugar on the top.
 

Buche de Noel is a special gateau made during Christmas in France which is similar to the Yule Log we are familiar with in America. It basically has a flat chocolate sponge cake layer topped with whipped plain or almond flavored cream, rolled to look like a log and then covered with Chocolate Ganache!  

 
Basic Recipe for Gateaux
 
The recipe for gateau varies from one cake to another but the basic formula includes blending the flour together with butter, sugar and egg yolks. Finely ground almonds or hazelnuts can also be added to this flour mix. Now, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and gently fold it into the flour mixture. Now you simply have to bake it. In Accordance to the French cooking culture always the best and freshest of ingredients are used and they never get miserly when it comes to butter and cream. You should know that the same mix can be used to make pastries. The gateau has a rich flavor and has a lot of fat and calories due to the butter and eggs. Here are a few gateaux recipes that you might like to check out.
 
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