French Tarte Tropézienne with Orange Blossom Cream

Name: French Tarte Tropézienne with Orange Blossom Cream
Prep time: 3 h
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients: All-purpose flour; Granulated sugar; Active dry yeast; Salt; Eggs; Unsalted butter; Milk; Whole milk; Vanilla bean; Egg yolks; Granulated sugar; Cornstarch; Unsalted butter; Orange blossom water; Pearl sugar (or coarse sugar); Egg for glazing

The iconic Saint-Tropez dessert with a floral twist

A beautiful blend of brioche and custard cream infused with the delicate aroma of orange blossom, this is a sublime dessert perfect for any special occasion.

3 h 30 min
8
Intermediate

Ingredients

For the Brioche Dough

All-purpose flour

250g

Granulated sugar

50g

Active dry yeast

10g

Salt

1/2 tsp

Eggs

3 large, room temperature

Unsalted butter

125g, softened and cut into cubes

Milk

1 tbsp

For the Orange Blossom Cream

Whole milk

500ml

Vanilla bean

1, split and scraped

Egg yolks

5 large

Granulated sugar

100g

Cornstarch

40g

Unsalted butter

25g

Orange blossom water

1 tbsp

For the Sugar Topping

Pearl sugar (or coarse sugar)

50g

Egg for glazing

1, beaten

Preparation

Marinating the Brioche Dough

Combine Dry Ingredients

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.

Add Eggs

Gradually add eggs and continue mixing until dough forms.

Incorporate Butter

Slowly incorporate butter cubes, one at a time, until fully absorbed.

First Rise

Let the dough rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.

Ensure dough is properly kneaded to achieve a light brioche texture.

Preparing the Orange Blossom Cream

Heat Milk and Vanilla

Heat the milk with vanilla bean until just boiling; remove from heat.

Mix Yolks and Sugar

In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until pale.

Combine and Cook

Gradually whisk hot milk into the yolk mixture, return to heat, and cook until thickened.

Finish Cream

Off the heat, add butter and orange blossom water. Chill until set.

Prepare the cream a day in advance for an easy assembly.

Cooking Process

Brioche Baking

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Shape the risen dough into a disk, glaze with beaten egg, and sprinkle with pearl sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

Cream Filling

Once the brioche is cooled, slice it horizontally and pipe or spread the orange blossom cream over the bottom half.

Assembly

Place the top half of the brioche back over the cream-filled base.

Plating & Serving