Tarte Tropézienne

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