Come and discover the traditional norman brioche “La Fallue” !
It is in Bayeux in the department of Calvados that the artisans bakers of Mamie Normandie updated a traditional local recipe dated 1897 : the traditional norman brioche La Fallue.
The brioche is made free from preservatives and artificial colourings. Moreover, it is mainly cooked with products stem from the local norman agriculture : cream from Isigny Sainte-Mère, caramel from Isigny, wheat flour and eggs from free-range hens.
You can find them in your shops House of Regional Products in Martinvast and Douvres-la-Délivrande.
The history of the traditional brioche “La Fallue”
In the past, la Fallue was a traditional norman meal. It was a dessert in most of places in Normandy, particularly the Bessin, the Saint-Lois, the Coutançais. Before the introduction of the epiphany cake, it was also served for Epiphany.
It name remind of its old origins. Falue or Fallue come from the word “falle” which refers to the stomach and would come from the Scandinavian word “falur”, designating a “tub” in old norrois, the Vikings’ language*.
The traditional norman brioche goes generally with another emblematic dessert from our region Normandy : the teurgoule.
The confrérie de la teurgoule et de la Fallue makes sure that this old dessert will not be deleted from our memories.
The “Fallue” according to Grandma Normandy
The fallue is a flat and oval brioche, decorated with ears and slightly sugary. Its crumb is soft and creamy, with a light colour. The recipe contains essentially wheat, sugar, butter, milk, crème fraîche, eggs and yeast.
The dough of the brioche La Fallue is rose twice in a proofing cabinet. Cooked the day before, it lies a whole night in a fridge. In the morning, the baker of Mamie Normandie kneads it and make it rise for the second time sheltered from any draught in a fresh but not cold place. Then, he cuts with scissors the top of the dough of la Fallue to create the shape of a crown so recognizable.
This traditional brioche, which demands twice as many time and work than a classical brioche, exists in different flavours to satisfy all the palates : plain, with chocolate chunks and soon with lemon chunks.
We remind you that you can find our other biscuits of norman terroir on our page dedicated to cakes and biscuits.
See you soon,
The team of the House of Regional Products
* References : website of the norman patrimony
