Tarte Tropézienne (Homemade Version)

Ingredients

• 500 g All‑purpose flour (sifted)
• 10 g Salt (fine sea salt)
• 150 g Granulated sugar (divided: 100 g for dough, 50 g for creams)
• 20 g Fresh yeast (or 7 g dry yeast)
• 250 ml Warm milk (about 35‑40 °C)
• 1 large Eggs (whole egg for dough)
• 4 large Egg yolks (2 for dough, 2 for pastry cream, 2 for buttercream (total 8 yolks used in the recipe))
• 2 tsp Orange blossom water (fleur d’oranger) (divided between dough and pastry cream)
• 300 g Unsalted butter (softened for dough, plus 200 g for buttercream (total 300 g))
• 1 piece Vanilla bean (seeds scraped; pod used for infusion)
• 30 g Cornstarch (Maïzena) (for pastry cream)
• 150 g Granulated sugar (for syrup) (for sugar syrup used in buttercream)
• 50 ml Water (for sugar syrup)
• 1 large egg Egg wash (beaten, for glazing brioche)
• 30 g Coarse sugar (sugar grains) (sprinkled on top before baking)

Instructions

1. Activate yeast

   Warm the milk to about 35‑40 °C, crumble the fresh yeast into it, stir gently and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.

   Time: PT5M

2. Combine dry ingredients

   In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together flour, salt and 100 g of the granulated sugar. Make a well in the centre.

   Time: PT5M

3. Add eggs and yeast mixture

   Crack the whole egg into the well, add two egg yolks, the foamy yeast‑milk mixture and 1 tsp orange blossom water. Knead on low speed until a rough dough forms.

   Time: PT10M

4. Incorporate butter

   Add the softened butter cut into small pieces. Continue kneading on medium speed until the dough is smooth, elastic and slightly sticky.

   Time: PT5M

5. First proof

   Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with perforated plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours.

   Time: PT1H45M

6. Shape and second proof

   Punch down the dough, form a ball, place on a parchment‑lined baking sheet, and shape a circular “crown” using a metal ring or a trimmed parchment circle. Cover loosely and let rise another 30 minutes.

   Time: PT30M

7. Egg wash, sugar topping and bake

   Brush the risen dough with beaten egg, sprinkle evenly with coarse sugar grains, and bake in a pre‑heated oven at 180 °C for 20‑25 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch.

   Time: PT30M

   Temperature: 180°C

8. Cool the brioche

   Remove the baking ring, transfer the brioche to a cooling rack and let cool completely (about 30 minutes) before slicing.

   Time: PT30M

9. Prepare pastry cream

   In a saucepan, combine 500 ml milk, 1 tsp orange blossom water, 50 g sugar and the vanilla bean seeds plus the pod. Heat gently until just below boiling. Meanwhile, whisk 4 egg yolks with the remaining 50 g sugar until pale, then whisk in the cornstarch. Temper the yolk mixture with a ladle of hot milk, then return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 2‑3 minutes).

   Time: PT20M

10. Chill pastry cream

    Transfer the hot pastry cream to a shallow bowl, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface, and refrigerate until completely cold (about 30 minutes).

    Time: PT30M

11. Make sugar syrup

    In a small saucepan, combine 150 g sugar and 50 ml water. Bring to a boil and cook until the temperature reaches 118 °C (soft‑ball stage).

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 118°C

12. Buttercream (crème au beurre)

    While the syrup is hot, whisk 4 egg yolks in a bowl until they thicken slightly. Slowly pour the hot syrup over the yolks while whisking continuously until the mixture cools to about 45 °C. Add 200 g softened butter (pommade) and whisk until a smooth, glossy buttercream forms.

    Time: PT15M

13. Chill buttercream

    Cover the buttercream, refrigerate for 30 minutes so it firms up slightly before folding with the pastry cream.

    Time: PT30M

14. Combine creams

    Using an electric mixer, beat the chilled pastry cream until light, then add the buttercream in two batches, folding gently after each addition until fully incorporated. The two creams should be at similar temperature.

    Time: PT10M

15. Assemble the Tarte Tropézienne

    Slice the cooled brioche horizontally, keeping the lower half slightly larger. Fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip with the combined cream, pipe a generous layer onto the bottom half, then place the top half (the “crown”) back on. Dust with a little extra coarse sugar if desired.

    Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

6 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

1 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of All‑purpose flour: bread flour
• Instead of Granulated sugar: caster sugar
• Instead of Fresh yeast: dry active yeast
• Instead of Warm milk: plant‑based milk (use dairy‑free version)
• Instead of Orange blossom water (fleur d’oranger): orange extract (use half amount)
• Instead of Unsalted butter: margarine (for dough only)
• Instead of Vanilla bean: 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Instead of Cornstarch (Maïzena): flour (double amount)
• Instead of Coarse sugar (sugar grains): demerara sugar

Equipment Needed

• Stand mixer with dough hook
• Mixing bowl (large, stainless steel)
• Rolling pin
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Plastic wrap (film alimentaire)
• Cooling rack
• Saucepan (medium)
• Whisk
• Instant‑read thermometer (optional)
• Piping bag with star tip
• Sharp knife
• Spatula

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Activating the yeast in correctly warm milk (Step 1).
• Achieving an elastic, slightly sticky dough after adding butter (Step 4).
• First proof until the dough doubles in size (Step 5).
• Preventing the pastry cream from curdling while heating (Step 9).
• Reaching 118 °C for the sugar syrup (Step 11).
• Ensuring the buttercream and pastry cream are at similar temperatures before folding (Step 14).

Chef Tips from the Video

• For extra fragrance, add a few drops of orange blossom water to the final cream before piping.
• Use a metal ring (about 20 cm diameter) to shape the brioche so the “crown” is perfectly round.
• If you prefer a less sweet tart, reduce the sugar in the dough to 80 g and the syrup to 120 g.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the assembled tart, tightly covered, for up to 3 days.

Freezer: Not recommended; the brioche may become soggy.

Room temperature: Can sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours after assembly before it starts to soften.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The brioche dough can be prepared a day ahead and kept refrigerated after the first rise; bring to room temperature before the second proof.
• Pastry cream and buttercream each keep well refrigerated for 2 days; assemble the tart just before serving.
• The sugar syrup can be made in advance and stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 1 day.