Tart tropézienne, its history and our best addresses

Conceived by Polish-born pastry chef Alexandre Micka, the tarte tropézienne made its debut in 1952 in Saint-Tropez. He drew his inspiration from his grandmother's recipe: a brioche pastry filled with a cream similar to pastry cream, but lighter. In 1955, Brigitte Bardot gave him the fame he still enjoys today, when she starred in the film "Et Dieu créa la femme". This year, the second edition of the international pastry competition "La tropézienne" opens in Saint-Tropez at the beginning of May, under the aegis of Pierre Hermé.

The basic ingredients: brioche, cream and granulated sugar that lends itself to a multitude of interpretations. It's roborative in appearance, well made and incredibly light! "La Tropézienne is a balance between a very soft brioche, low in butter, lightly baked, sprinkled with granulated sugar and topped with a light, smooth, light cream.an airy, unctuous cream, but with a certain hold, not supple, initially flavored with vanilla and sometimes orange blossom or kirsch. Tasted at room temperature, it gives a pleasant sensation of "almost" freshness. The proportion of brioche and cream is identical over a height of 4.5 to 5 cm. Pierre Hermé

Julien Coulomb, La Voile - La Réserve Ramatuelle, Ramatuelle

A Tropézienne from the Var region, which appropriately celebrates its ancestor and won creator Julien Coulomb first prize in the "La Tropézienne" pastry competition in 2023. "For the brioche, I based my recipe on the panettone idea, adding candied oranges and covering it with a macaroon with pine nuts to replace the granulated sugar. The cream is a mixture of crème pâtissière and Madagascar vanilla whipped cream. To liven things up, I add orange confit, fresh orange segments and dots of herbaceous gel", he explains. An anthology tropézienne that you must try at least once in your life!

• Where? 736 Chemin des Cretes, 83350 Ramatuelle
• www.lareserve-ramatuelle.com

DR

Pâtisserie Nicolas Bernardé, La Garenne-Colombes

Made with fresh eggs, almonds and Normandy butter, then flavored with orange blossom and Colombian vanilla, Cakissime Tropézien has become a must-have at Pâtisserie Nicolas Bernardé. "It was a memory of a vacation in the south of France that gave me the idea of reinventing the famous brioche in a Cakissime version," explains the Meilleur Ouvrier de France pâtissier. The cake, cut in half lengthways, is topped with a generous, ultra-smooth cream... It's like being in the South!

• Where? 2 place de la Liberté, 92250 La Garenne Colombes
• www.nicolas-bernarde.com

DR - François Vauzeilles

Benoit Castel, in Paris

Because he loves this dessert, Benoit Castel imagined an easy-to-eat version. "The brioche is lightly soaked in orange blossom to give it a fresh taste. As for the vanilla cream, it's smooth and frothy." Covered with chunks of sugar, the "Troparisienne" brings the South to Paris. To be enjoyed all summer long, individually or to share.

• Where? 72 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 75011 Paris 11 and 150 rue de Ménilmontant, 75020 Paris 20
• www.benoitcastel.com

Émilie Buyssou - Guillaume Czerw

Gaël Clavière, Hôtel de Matignon, Paris

Contemporary art may be one of his sources of inspiration, but Gaël Clavière, pastry chef at the Hôtel de Matignon, is no less a fervent defender of tradition. For example, he has reinterpreted the Tarte Tropézienne as a dessert à l'assiette. "I chose to make a puff pastry brioche with a beurre manié of orange blossom, vanilla and orange zest. To garnish it, a vanilla-flavored raw milk diplomat cream." In place of granulated sugar, fine shards of crunchy royal icing arranged in a mosaic shape preserve the memory of this great pastry classic.

Louise Meresse - Yves Malenfer

François Josse, Familha, in Chambonas

In October 2023, François Josse opened what he likes to call his Maison de Famille in the Cévennes region of Ardèche. Champion de France du Dessert 2018, his tarte tropézienne celebrates the arrival of spring. "I make a very airy brioche pastry soaked in orange blossom syrup. I garnish it with a lightly vanilla diplomate cream, strawberry confit and a brunoise of Cléry d'Ardèche strawberries with lime zest." A dessert as light as it is fragrant!

• Where? 98 route de Vompdes 07140 Chambonas
• www.facebook.com/pâtisserie-familha

DR - Angelique Blaise