La tarte aux pêches ... Recipe from a chef pâtissier

Last week, I was sharing with you the baking class I took at the Institut Gastronomie Riviera. My experience was really great, and I learned a lot of tricks from Nicolas Denis, one of the best pastry chefs in France. This week, I promised I will share the recipe of the fabulous tarte aux pêches that was on the menu of this class... So here we go!

The following recipe can be used with all kind of fruits, even raw ones such as berries. In this case, you will cook your crust and almond cream first, then add the fruits last. If you do not want to use the Crème d'amande, you can replace it with a fruit jelly or even better ... a mix of 3/4 of Crème pâtissière and 1/4 of whipped cream. In both case, you will only cook your crust, then add your filling and raw fruits.

The trickiest part of the recipe is making the Pâte sucrée (Pastry dough). As you will read through the recipe, you may find yourself intimidated ... but please don't. Even if mastery may require many attempts, I can assure you that the tart will taste incredible even on your first trial.

With time, you will gradually improve the quality and crispiness of this dough by achieving the perfect consistency.

Don't forget ... It is supposed to be a fun learning experience!
I do remind that to myself all the time -)

La Tarte aux pêches
(Recipe for 6 servings - I recommend the use of a precise electronic scale)

Pastry dough (Pâte sucrée)
225g flour
95g powder sugar (Starch free if possible)
150g butter at room temperature
30g almond powder
1 egg
1.5g vanilla powder
1g salt

Almond cream (Crème d'amande)
1 egg + 1 yolk at room temperature
80g sugar
80g butter at room temperature
80g almond powder

Topping (Garniture)
5 white peaches
150g sugar
30g pistachios

Preparing the pâte sucrée

Combine the butter, sugar, almond powder, salt and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Then add flour and egg, proceeding alternatively if you are doing more than 1 batch. Work on low speed to make sure not too much air is added to the dough, and do not overwork to keep it crispy.

Once done, form into a disk on a cooking sheet lined with parchment paper, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 3 hours, overnight being ideal. At this stage, you can freeze the dough for up to 1 month.

The next step called "Fraisage" is crucial to the success and the quality of the dough. The Fraisage technique involves the gently rolling of the dough under your palm until it becomes elastic and stop breaking apart*. Make sure you work in a cool environment, and the use of a cold surface such as a marble pastry board is ideal. The goal is to keep the dough at a relatively low temperature which means that you may have to refrigerate it in between steps. Two other important elements: do not overwork, and use as few flour as possible.
* If you are unsure on how it works, I would suggest you look on Youtube for Fraisage technique

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Butter a 22cm (8" ⅔) tart ring* (or a nonstick tart pan with a removable bottom). Using an adjustable rolling pin, roll the dough with to a 3mm (1/9 inch) thick. Pierce dough prior to baking to eliminate air pockets and minimize rising with a dough prickle or a fork. Cut the dough with a 26cm (10" ¼) or 28cm (11") tart ring, or eyeball it if you don't have any. Press the dough into the circle, gently pushing it to the bottom. Cut the exceeding dough at the top with a knife.
* You can buy tart rings from specialized pastry vendors such as Pastry Chef Central

Bake the dough on a baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes until it almost cooked and with a caramel color. Let it cool of before proceeding with the almond cream. This step is called "Le Fonçage".

Preparing the crème d'amandes

Combine the butter, powdered sugar, almond powder, and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Insert the cream in a pastry bag. Starting from the center, pipe the cream into the crust that should have cooled down by now. Using a little spatula, smooth the cream to make it evenly distributed.

Preparing the topping

Boil the peaches for 30 seconds to 1 minute depending on how ripe they are. Transfer them in an iced water bowl. Peel the peaches and slice them evenly. Place the slices round side down in the almond cream, in an organized manner. Bake for 10 minutes at 180°C (350°F). Once cooked, sprinkle with powder sugar.

Finishing touch
The last step is making candied pistachios. When making candied pistachios, the rule of thumb is to use 30% of water to any 1kg of sugar used. Heat the sugar and water until it reach 121°C (250°F), then add the pistachios. Mix vigorously until they start to caramelized. Transfer them into baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Separate the pistachios, let them cool off, then sprinkle them on the tart.

Et Voila...
You are now mastering the making of la tarte aux pêches!!