Tarte aux mirabelles
Tarte aux mirabelles is a sweet French dish, combining pastry and mirabelle plums (stones removed). It is a speciality of Lorraine in north-east France, where the mirabelle is an important crop. It also features in the cuisine of other regions of the country.
 | |
| Type | Tart |
|---|---|
| Course | Dessert |
| Place of origin | France |
| Serving temperature | Hot or cool |
| Main ingredients | Mirabelle plums; pastry |
Background
The mirabelle plum has been cultivated since at least the 17th century.[1][2] The Dictionnaire de l'Académie française and the Oxford English Dictionary both give the probable derivation of the name as Mirabel, a fairly frequent toponym in the south of France.[1][2] A tart made with mirabelles is traditional in Lorraine and its neighbour Alsace and is found in other parts of France.[3][4]
Pastry
The type of pastry used for tarte aux mirabelles varies. The most frequently mentioned in recipes is pâte brisée,[5][6] but other sweet pastries – pâte sablée and pâte sucrée – are specified by some cooks,[7][8][9] and unsweetened shortcrust and puff are also used in some recipes.[10][11] In Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, Elizabeth David encountered a tarte aux mirabelles made with yeast pastry: "Those little round golden plums of early autumn on their light brioche-like base made an unexpected and memorable end to our outdoor feast".[4]
Composition
The traditional tarte aux mirabelles consisted solely of fruit, pastry and a little sugar sprinkled on top before cooking. Some more recent recipes, including that of Albert and Michel Roux, have introduced a layer of crème pâtissière spread on the pastry base before the layer of fruit is added.[5]
References
- "mirabelle", Dictionnaire de l'Académie française. Retrieved 7 March 2023
- "mirabelle". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- Ates, Barbara. "Tarte aux mirabelles façon alsacienne", Marie Claire Cuisine et Vins. Retrieved 7 March 2023
- David, p. 74
- Roux, p. 79
- Willan, p. 118; "Recette tarte aux mirabelle", recettesdalsace.com. Retrieved 7 March 2023; "Tarte aux mirabelles d'Alsace toute simple", Je vais vous cuisinier. Retrieved 7 March 2023; and "Tarte aux mirabelles", Marmiton. Retrieved 7 March 2023
- Kayser, p. 16; "Tarte aux mirabelles et pâte sablée à la poudre d'amande", Chef Simon. Retrieved 7 March 2023
- "Tarte sablée aux mirabelles", Cuisine Actuelle. Retrieved 7 March 2023
- Tarte aux mirabelles à la pâte sucrée de Christophe Michalak", 36 Quai des saveurs. Retrieved 7 March 2023
- Lenôtre, p. 180; and "Tarte aux mirabelles", Taste Atlas. Retrieved 7 March 2023
- "Tarte aux mirabelles", Encore un gateau. Retrieved 7 March 2023; and "Tarte aux mirabelles", 750g. Retrieved 7 March 2023
Sources
- David, Elizabeth (1986) [1984]. An Omelette and a Glass of Wine. London: Penguin. ISBN 978-0-14-046721-5.
- Kayser, Éric (2014). Tartes & Gourmandises. Flammarion: Paris. ISBN 978-2-08-134402-0.
- Lenôtre, Gaston (1977). Lenôtre's Desserts and Pastries. Woodbury: Barron. ISBN 978-0-8120-5137-7.
- Roux, Albert; Michel Roux (1986). The Roux Brothers on Patisserie. London: Macdonald. OCLC 1311041498.
- Willan, Anne (1994). French Recipes. London: Pavilion. ISBN 978-1-85793-398-7.