The origin of the Tropézienne tart is well known.

It is a creation of pastry chef Alexandre Micka.

It was popularized, among other things, thanks to Brigitte Bardot.

In the program "Historically Vôtre", on Europe 1, Olivier Poels explains how to make this dessert, even if certain manufacturing secrets remain well kept.

Often imitated, rarely equaled, the Tropézienne tart was born in the city from which it bears the name.

The pastry chef Alexandre Micka, of Polish origin, adapted a family recipe and in 1952 offered his first Tropézienne.

Brigitte Bardot, who discovers her during the shooting of a film, loves her and helps her success.

But as Olivier Poels explains in the program "Historically Vôtre", this dessert is not so easy to reproduce because a trade secret remains.

Popularized by Bardot

The Tropézienne tart was invented in 1952 by the Polish-born pastry chef Alexandre Micka.

The latter arrived in France in 1945, when he settled on the Côte d'Azur.

A few years later in Saint-Tropez, he opened a small pastry shop.

Among his specialties, he offers a tart inspired by a recipe from his grandmother.

This dessert combines a brioche dough with a cream, similar to pastry cream but lighter, and is dusted with sugar.

>> Find all Olivier Poels' recipes here 

Success was very rapid with the locals, but in 1955 the pie received a significant boost.

That year, Roger Vadim filmed

Et dieu créa la femme

 in Saint-Tropez and Alexandre Micka's pastries regularly delight the film crew, including a certain Brigitte Bardot.

She discovers this delicacy that she adores.

It would be she who would have suggested to him to baptize it the tart of Saint-Tropez which will become Tropézienne.

They are now found everywhere in France, with varying degrees of success because the manufacturing secret is well kept.

Tropézienne recipe:

Ingredients:

For the brioche:


- 250 gr of flour


- 100 gr of sugar


- 1 sachet of yeast


- 50 gr of eggs


- 10 cl of milk


- 1 pinch of salt


- 50 gr of butter


- granulated sugar

For the cream 

:


- 50 gr of egg yolk


- 40 cl of milk


- 15 cl of liquid cream


- 1 vanilla pod


- 150 gr of butter


- 100 gr of sugar


- 40 gr of flour or cornstarch

The steps of the recipe:

  • Make a round brioche with all the ingredients (let the dough rest for 1 night) brown it with egg, sprinkle with sugar and bake for 20 minutes at 180 °

  • Make the cream:

  • Infuse the vanilla in the hot milk

  • In another dish, mix the egg yolks, the sugar, then the flour

  • Pour the milk over the mixture and thicken

  • In the bowl of a food processor, combine the softened butter and the whipped cream (the mixture should be light)

  • Assemble with the pastry cream

  • Cut the brioche in half vertically and stuff with cream