The tarte Tropézienne is a dessert that is said to have dated back as far as the mid-seventeenth century.
This delight became more popularly seen in 1956 in St.Tropez of course, enjoyed by fashion icon, Brigitte Bardot on the set of “And God Created Woman”.
The raised brioche like dough is light and airy, and said to have been filled with pastry cream flavoured with vanilla bean and orange blossom water. The airy texture of the brioche paired with the luscious custard fills your palate with the fragrance of summer in the Côte de Azur. Allons-y St.Tropez!
Servings: 10
Mis en Place
Starter
100g All purpose Flour
15g Yeast
40 g Milk
Brioche Dough
300 g All purpose Flour
10g Salt
40g Sugar
3 whole eggs
100g unsalted butter
Pastry Cream
250 g Whole Milk
120 g Granulated Sugar
120 g Egg Yolk
35 g Cornstarch
50 g Unsalted Butter
15 g Vanilla Extract
Streusel
30 g Unsalted Cold Butter
20 g Brown Sugar
20 g Granulated Sugar
60 g Flour
Final Custard
100 g Heavy Cream
90 g Unsalted Melted Butter
15 g Orange Blossom Water
Method
Step 1
Make the Starter
Combine yeast with milk in a mixing bowl, add flour and stir until you obtain a soft consistency. Store in a warm space until it has doubled in volume. Roughly 1-1.5 hrs. at 25 Celsius.
Step 2
While waiting for starter prepare pastry cream.
In a mixing bowl combine egg yolks with sugar and cornstarch and whisk until homogenous.
Combine milk and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring to a simmer.
Begin the tempering process where you gradually add hot milk to the egg yolks a ladle at a time while consistently whisking. Once all milk has been added, pour the mixture back into your saucepan and whisk! Over medium-low heat whisk until the mixture thickens, allow boiling for 1 minute to cook out the taste of starch.
Remove from heat and add butter.
Store in the refrigerator with cling wrap to the surface while cooling.
Step 3
Prepare Streusel
In a mixing bowl combine chilled butter with flour and sugars, using a pastry blender or fork create a crumb like texture. Refrigerate until needed.
Step 4
Prepare Brioche Dough
Place flour, salt, sugar and eggs in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on medium speed. Add your proofed starter and resume mixing on medium speed until the dough wraps around the hook (roughly 5 minutes).
Cut butter into pieces, adding half first on slow speed, for 2-3 minutes and then the remaining butter on medium speed for 4-5 minutes. The dough should release from the sides of the bowl and appear smooth.
Place finished dough in a clean bowl, dust with additional flour and cover with plastic wrap. Store in a warm space until it has doubled in volume. Roughly 1 hour at 27 Celsius.
Step 5
When the dough has doubled in volume press out the gasses and place dough on a floured surface. Roll to roughly 10” round and place on a sheet pan. Prick the surface of the dough with the tines of a fork. Cover again and set aside to proof for 1 more hour.
Step 6
Preheat oven to 340 degrees Convection
Using a pastry brush add a wash of milk or water to the surface of the brioche and sprinkle with streusel.
Bake until done, roughly 15-20 minutes, it should be golden brown.
Remove from oven and let cool completely.
Step 7
Prepare final custard
Remove pastry cream from the refrigerator and stir.
While whisking slowly add melted butter while still warm until homogenous.
In a stand mixer or by hand whip 35% cream to a stiff peak.
Using a spatula fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream. Add orange blossom water.
Step 8
Assembly
Once the brioche has cooled torte in half using a serrated knife.
Thickly coat the bottom layer with all of the cream. Cover with the top layer and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Sift confectioners sugar on top and serve cold.
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