If you’re visiting Alsace in the Summer, you’ll likely find an offering of this Alsatian Blueberry Tart in most restaurants, cafes and B&Bs. It is an iconic dessert from this French region and a tart that locals love to make at home too. It is simple, rustic-looking, delicious and makes do with the abundance of blueberries in late Summer.   

You can find this dessert called by “Tarte aux myrtilles” (myrtille translating to blueberry) or “Tarte aux Brimbelles” – brimbelles referring to the local wild blueberries harvested in Alsace. 

Note: This Alsatian Blueberry Tart recipe was first published on the blog in August 2018. Three years later, I re-worked the recipe slightly, with more blueberries, less sugar and slightly more crème fraiche. I also wanted to update the photos and instructions and add step-by-step photos. 

The crust: a “Pâte Brisée”

To make an Alsatian Blueberry Tart, I find a classic-French “Pâte Brisée” to be the best choice. 

A “Pâte Brisée” is the French version of a standard pie crust, made with a generous amount of butter. In comparison to a “Pâte Sucrée” (traditionally used for a French Lemon Tart) or a “Pâte Sablée” (traditionally used for a French Frangipane Apricot Tart), a Pâte Brisée is made with only flour, butter and water – no sugar or eggs. 

With fewer ingredients, a “Pâte Brisée” is a simpler, quicker pie crust that is more often used for “rustic” desserts (meaning, a little less fancy) that will simply allow the fruits to be the center of attention. Since it doesn’t have any sugar, it also means a “Pâte Brisée” can be used for both sweet and savory pies, be it quiches, fruits tarts or galettes. 

Because the flour and butter are mixed with water (water encouraging the gluten development in the flour), a “Pâte Brisée is sturdier and less sandy, in comparison to a “Pâte Sucrée” or a “Pâte Sablée”. This makes it an ideal crust for fruit tarts, to hold the baked soft fruits without breaking. It is also great for galettes, to avoid having the edges crumble when you fold them over the fruits. Lastly, it is a great crust to work with to create trimming, decorations or lattice-work for the top or edges of a fruit tart – just like this blueberry tart. 

Tips for a great Pâte Brisée”: 

• It is essential to use cold butter and ice cold water to make the dough. Cold butter -not room temperature- will distribute into the flour without softening. And ice-cold water will bind the ingredients together without softening the butter. This ensures little bits of butter are still present in the dough once rolled out, which makes for a most tender baked Pâte Brisée. 
• Do not overmix the dough: stop mixing when it just comes together into a rough ball. Otherwise, your crust likely will end up too tough once baked. 
• The Pâte Brisée needs to be chilled at least 20 minutes before being rolled out. If the dough is too cold and firm when trying to roll it out, let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes. It will warm up slightly, to become easier to roll out. If the dough cracks a bit when you roll it out or transfer it into the pan, do not fret. You can simply wet your fingers lightly under lukewarm water and “rub” the cracks to bind the dough back together. 

The filling: Blueberries with a “migaine” 

What makes this Alsatian Blueberry Tart truly stand out from other blueberry tarts or pies is the quick custard – called “migaine”– that gets poured atop the blueberries right before baking. Sometimes referred to as a flan, a filling or a custard, a “migaine” is a simple mixture of crème fraiche and egg yolks. 

Once baked, the “migaine” turns into a soft flan-like texture that wraps around the blueberries. Its mellow, creamy taste pairs perfectly with the sweetness and acidity of the fruits. Preparing a “migaine” to fill sweet and savory tarts (such as quiches) is quite popular in the Eastern part of France. 

More Cooking notes: 

• Making your own Pâte Brisée will make a big difference for this Alsatian Blueberry Tart.  This recipe will give you enough for a 9-inch (22.9cm) tart pan and you will leftover dough to create some decorations if you would like – such as lattice designs for the top, braids for around the edge of the tart or cutouts. Decorations are fun to make, but optional. 
• I recommend you use a tart pan with a removable bottom, which will support the crust when lifting your tart.
• Although it wasn’t easy to find up until a few years ago, Crème fraiche has now become common in grocery stores in Canada and the US. You can usually find it next to sour creams. Two of my favorite brands I recommend are Liberte and Maison Riviera.

I hope you’ll love this Alsatian Blueberry Tart as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment. 

You may also like: 

• Blueberry Almond Financiers 
• Blueberry Lemon Yogurt Loaf
• Peach Blueberry  Galette 
• Peach Crème Fraiche Streusel Tart
• Apricot Frangipane Tart 
• Fresh Peach Yogurt Cake

Alsatian Blueberry Tart

Print Recipe

Serves: 8-12 Prep Time: 1 hour Cooking Time: 40 Minutes 40 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.7/5

( 3 voted )

Ingredients

For the Pâte Brisée: 

2 cups (250g) all-purpose-flour
1/2 cup (1 stick/125g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
A pinch of salt
1/4 cup (50ml) cold water (approximate)

For the filling: 

1 1/2 dry pint (about 3 cups/570g) fresh blueberries, washed and dried
¼ cup (about 70g) crème fraiche
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp (25g) sugar

Instructions

Make sure you read the Pâte Brisée tips and cooking notes before you start. 

Step 1 – Prepare the Pâte Brisée. Mix the flour, salt and butter with your fingers or pulse in a food processor, until you get a crumbly consistency and pea-size bits of butter are still visible. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, and mix until the dough just comes together into a rough ball (about 1/4 cup of water); do not over-mix or your crust will end up tough. Add a few more splashes of water if you feel the dough is too crumbly - but try to keep the water to a minimum. Too much water will also make your crust tough. Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and chill for about 20 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 390ºF (200ºC) with a rack in the middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch tart pan. 

Step 2 – 20 minutes later, take the dough out of the fridge. Transfer it onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to circle of 16-inch (40cm) in diameter (about 1/6 inch thick). Drape the dough over your rolling pin and transfer it to the tart pan. Cut the excess off around the edges. Poke the bottom of the crust evenly with a fork (10-12 pokes). You can keep the excess of dough for another baking project or use them to do decorations. 

Step 3 - In a small bowl, whisk together (with a fork) the egg yolks and crème fraiche until combined and lump-free. 

Step 4 - Evenly scatter the blueberries onto the crust. Pour the egg yolk + crème fraiche mixture over top and toss gently until the blueberries are evenly coated. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons (25g) of sugar.  

Optional: At this point, brush any crust decorations with and egg wash (1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp [15ml] milk). 

Bake for about 40 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the blueberries are bubbling.

Transfer onto a cooling rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes before enjoying. Enjoy warm or cooled. 

 

The post Alsatian Blueberry Tart (Tarte aux Myrtilles Alsacienne) appeared first on Pardon Your French.

The ideal crust for a Galette: a “Pâte Brisée”.

For making a galette, I find a Pâte Brisée is the best candidate. A “Pâte Brisée” is the French version of a standard pie crust, made with a generous amount of butter. In comparison to a “Pâte Sucrée” (traditionally used for a French Lemon Tart) or to a “Pâte Sablée” (traditionally used for a French Frangipane Apricot Tart), a Pâte Brisée is made with only flour, butter and water – no sugar and no eggs. This means it can be used for both sweet and savory pies, tarts, or galettes. 

Because the flour and butter are mixed with water (water encouraging the gluten development in the flour), a “Pâte Brisée is sturdier and less sandy – which is what you want to shape galettes easily, and avoid having the edges crumble when you fold them over the fruits. That said, it is essential not to overmix the dough (stop mixing when it just comes together) or your crust will end up too tough once baked. 

To sum it all up, I love to use a Pâte Brisée for making galettes, as it is deliciously buttery yet easy to work with and very forgiving. The crust is quickly chilled for 20 minutes (for the butter to chill) and then rolled out and filled with fresh fruits, before the edges are folded over in a free form manner.

The fruit filling 

Ripe peaches and blueberries make a perfect combo to fill this simple galette. The peaches are tender and slightly acidic while the blueberries bring little bursts of sweetness. These are perfect flavours to contrast against the buttery crust. You can use any variety of peaches: yellow, white or nectarines – and you don’t need to peel them. 

A little sugar and a splash of vanilla extract are added to the fruits. I don’t think you need much else for these fruits to shine. 

Cooking notes: 

• It is essential to use cold butter and ice cold water to make the dough. Cold butter -not at room temperature- will distribute into the flour without softening. And ice-cold water will bind the ingredients together without melting the butter. This ensure little bits of butter are still present in the dough once rolled out, which makes for a most tender baked Pâte Brisée. 
• The Pâte Brisée needs to chilled at least 20-30 minutes before being rolled out. If the dough is too cold and firm when trying to roll it out, let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes so it warms enough, to become easier to roll out.
• If the edges of the dough crack a bit when you fold them over the fruit, do not fret. You can simply wet your fingers under lukewarm water and “rub” the cracks to bind the dough back together. 

I hope you’ll love this Peach and Blueberry Galette recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment.

You may also like:

• Raspberry Pistachio Frangipane Tart 
• Classic French Tarte au Citron
• Classic French Tarte aux Fraises
• Lemon Poppy seed French Yogurt Loaf
• Peach Yogurt Cake 
• Apricot Frangipane Tart

Peach and Blueberry Galette

Print Recipe

Serves: 8-10 people Prep Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour 1 hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.6/5

( 8 voted )

Ingredients

For the Pâte Brisée :
1 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (170g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/4 teaspoon salt
¼ cup to 1/3 cup (50ml to 78ml) ice water
Filling base:
3 tbsp (23g) all-purpose flour
3 tbsp (18g) ground almonds
Filling:
1 lb (453g) peaches, halved and pitted
1/3 lb (150g) blueberries
¼ cup (50g) sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk, for brushing
Optional: 2 tbsp Peach jam.

Instructions

Step 1 – Prepare the Pâte Brisée. Mix the flour, salt and butter with your fingers or pulse in a food processor, until you get a crumbly consistency and pea-size bits of butter are still visible. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, and mix until the dough just comes together into a rough ball; do not over-mix or your crust will end up tough. Add a few more splashes of water if you feel the dough is too crumbly - but try to keep the water to a minimum. Too much water will also make your crust tough. Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and chill for about 20 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 400F  (205C) with a rack in the middle. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2 – In a small bowl, combine the 3 tbsp of AP flour with the 3 tbsp of almond flour. Set aside.

Step 3 – Cut each peach halves into 6 slices (equals out to 12 slices/peach). Combine the peach slices in a bowl with the blueberries, sugar and vanilla extract. Toss gently until evenly coated.

Step 4 – Take the dough out of the fridge. Transfer it onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to circle of 16-inch in diameter (about 1/6 inch thick). Drape the dough over your rolling pin and transfer it to the parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Step 5 – Spread the flour/almond flour mix onto the dough, leaving a 2 inch border around the edge. This mix will absorb the juice of the fruits when baking and prevent the crust from getting soggy. Arrange the peach and blueberry mix on top. Fold the edges of the dough up over the fruits to create a 1 ½ to 2 inch border. Brush the egg yolk onto the folded border.
Bake for 50 min to 1 hour, until the edges look dry and golden.

Optional: Warm up the peach jam in a microwave for 15 seconds and pass it through a fine mesh strainer if needed (to discard of fruit chunks). Gently brush the jam over the fruits for a glistening finish. 

Let the galette cool for 30 minutes before transferring it onto a cooling rack. Enjoy warm or chilled.

The Pâte Brisée recipe is based on Jacques Pépin’s Plum Galette recipe.

If you try this Peach and Blueberry Galette recipe let me know!  Leave a comment or share a photo using #pardonyourfrench on Instagram. Bon Appétit! 

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Privacy Policy & Disclosure page for more details.

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The Origin of the Financiers

Originally oval in shape, Financiers are small individual almond cakes invented in the middle ages, by the Visitandine nuns from the city of Nancy, in North Eastern France. Made from egg whites and ground almonds, these dainty small cakes – then known as “visitandines”- were a good source of protein, addressing the banning of meat in the convent.

Much later, in the 19th century, Chef Lasne brought these small cakes back to his little pastry shop located near La Bourse de Paris (the Paris Stock Exchange). He had the idea to reshape the little cakes into small “bars of gold”, to attract the financial district crowds and bank workers looking for a snack that could easily be stored in their pockets without crumbling. The re-branded “financier” (meaning, a Financial district worker) was born.

About The Brown Butter

The Brown butter, known in French as “beurre-noisette” gives the delectable nutty flavors that make financiers so unique and irresistible. It’s important you take the time to make brown butter properly for this recipe – do not skip this step… you won’t regret it!

How to make brown-butter (beurre-noisette)

1. In a small sauce-pan, melt your butter over medium-low heat, whisking frequently. Once all melted, the butter will start to simmer and foam.
2. Keep a close eye on it and watch for golden specks to form at the bottom of the pan. Smell the butter for nutty aromas.
3. Remove from the heat and pour the butter into a cold bowl to stop the cooking process. Set aside and cool to room temperature.

Be careful, it’s easy to go from brown-butter to burnt-butter. If you think you’ve over-cooked or burned the butter, do not overthink it. Dump it and start again. Burnt butter is terrible for your health.

Cooking notes:

• Almond meal (or Almond flour, or Ground Almond) is a highly perishable good. Make sure you get it fresh, store it well (in an airtight container) and use it as soon as possible. You can either buy it in store (either a package – such as Bobs Red Mill Almond Flour- , or buy it or in bulk) or you can make your own in a food blender. Blanched or unblanched both work for making financier.
• Make sure your egg-whites are at room temperature before you start whipping them. Make sure you reach a stiff peak. The egg whites then get folded into the dry ingredients and will lose some “fluff”. But you should still end up with a thick batter (that holds it shape). You can then use a spatula to spread it evenly into the cupcake tins.  
• Don’t skip on sifting together the icing sugar, flour and almond meal. It will truly make a difference in creating lighter and airier financiers.
• This recipe works perfectly with blueberries, but you can switch for raspberries or diced strawberries, if you wish. Do not fold the fruits into the batter, but simply place them on top before baking. Just do not overcrowd the cake batter with berries, as the fruits release some moisture when baking – you don’t want to end up with a soggy cake.
• Don’t have shaved almonds on hand? Substitute for chopped or slivered almonds, chopped pistachios or hazelnuts, or simply leave it plain.
• To make this recipe more approachable for my North American readers, the recipe is made for a 12-cup muffin tin, which is widely available. If you can get your hands on an authentic financier mold pan, the financiers will need to bake a few minutes less.

I hope you’ll love this Blueberry Almond Financiers recipe as much as I do!

Any questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment.  

You may also like:

• Giant Strawberry Almond Financier 
• Classic French Tarte aux Fraises
• Alsatian Blueberry pie
• Crepes with Blueberry Balsamic Sauce 

Blueberry Almond Financiers

Print Recipe

Serves: 10 financiers Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 20 Minutes 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.2/5

( 17 voted )

Ingredients

1/2 cup + 1/2 tbsp (125g) unsalted butter (made into “beurre-noisette” – see cooking note)
3/4 cup + 1 tbsp (80g) Ground Almonds
1 cup (125g) Icing Sugar
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp (50g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
4 large egg whites
¼ tsp almond extract
½ cup fresh blueberries
¼ cup shaved almond

Instructions

Make sure you read the cooking notes before you start.

Pre-heat your oven to 340F (170C) with a rack in the middle. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan with butter.   

Step 1 - Make the beurre-noisette (see cooking note) and set aside to let it cool to room temperature.

Step 2 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground almonds, icing sugar, flour, baking powder and salt.

Step 3 - In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites to a stiff peak. Sprinkle 1/3 of the dry ingredients over the egg whites and fold in gently with a spatula. When barely combined, sprinkle another third of the dry ingredients and fold again. Repeat with the last third of the dry ingredients. When combined, fold in the almond extract and the beurre-noisette. Stop folding when just combined.

Carefully transfer the batter to the 12-cup muffin pan and gently smooth out the top with the spatula.

Step 4 - Sprinkle a few blueberries on top of each financier. Just barely push on the blueberries to keep them in place (not too much, they will sink in the batter when baking). Sprinkle some almond shavings on top. 

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden on the edges. Let cool 15 minutes before carefully removing the financier from the tins (use a pointy knife). Transfer to a cooling rack.

 

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment below, rate the recipe and/or share a photo on Instagram: tag @pardonyourfrench  and hashtag it #pardonyourfrench.  Bon Appetit! 

This recipe was first posted on Jul 26, 2017, and updated on June 10, 2020. 

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Privacy Policy & Disclosure page for more details.

The post Blueberry Almond Financiers appeared first on Pardon Your French.

The marriage of the warm, tangy, sweet Blueberry Balsamic Sauce (made with White Balsamic Vinegar) with the smooth, cold vanilla ice cream is a match made in heaven. The tender, soft crêpes bring another level of comfort, and tie it all together. This is quite decadent looking, yet fruity, bright and refreshing dessert.

For the Crêpes, refer to my fool-proof French crêpe recipe. This is the recipe I swear by for making homemade crêpes. For the ice-cream, rely on any of your favorite store-bought ice creams. For the Blueberry Balsamic Sauce, here’s the step-by-step for you…

How to make this Blueberry Balsamic Sauce

The recipe begins with fresh blueberries – although frozen blueberries can work too (see cooking notes below). The blueberries are placed in a pan on low-medium heat, with sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract.

For extra tang, I added Oliv White Balsamic vinegar. This Balsamic is so rich and smooth, with a gorgeous white grape color – which didn’t offset the color of the sauce at all – something I really appreciate. Using White Balsamic to build this sauce provides the perfect amount of sweet and zing to the mix, while creating a luscious, rich texture. It’s a great secret ingredient so you can skip out on cornstarch or having to use a heavy amount of sugar.

Then, all the ingredients are brought to a low simmer, until the blueberries break apart. You can use the back of a spoon or fork to press on the blueberries. Stir occasionally until the sauce slightly thickens – and it’s as simple as that!

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do! This Blueberry Balsamic Sauce is both sweet and tangy, with a luscious texture and hides chunks of blueberry for extra bite. The use of White Balsamic adds an “adult” feel to this sauce, that is still very approachable – don’t worry, your kids will love it too! This is a quick and easy recipe to showcase seasonal blueberries, and I bet you’ll want to use this sauce in so many different ways. It really is that good!

My Cooking notes:

• Fresh, seasonal blueberries are best. But when not in season, you can substitute with frozen blueberries. Thaw the blueberries overnight (in a strainer), and weigh the blueberries once thawed and well-drained, so you have 250g (about 1 + 3/4 cup). 
• For serving, you can pick any ice cream of your choice. Vanilla works get here – the smoothness of vanilla ice cream is great for balancing the tang and sweetness of the sauce. Chocolate ice cream would be a great choice as well.

Crêpes with ice cream are my favorite, especially when topped with this Blueberry Balsamic Sauce – which is also perfect  for topping:

• Breton Pound Cake
• Pancakes
• Waffles
• Cottage Cheese
• Greek yogurt
• Oatmeal
• Rice pudding
• French toast
• Cheesecake

And so much more! Share your ideas in the comment section below.

I hope you’ll this Balsamic Blueberry Sauce – it’s sweet, luscious and colorful. It is a simple sauce that comes together in minutes. You can prepare it ahead of time (up to 3 days ahead) and keep it in your fridge. Right before serving, re-heat it on low heat in a sauce pan until warm, and pour it on top of the ice cream.

You may also like:

• Spiced Berry Jalousie Tart
• Blueberry Pie from Alsace
• Blueberry Financiers
• Giant Strawberry Almond Financiers
• Classic-French Cherry Clafoutis

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @pardonyourfrench on Instagram and hashtag it #pardonyourfrench

Crêpes with Blueberry Balsamic Sauce & Vanilla Ice Cream

Print Recipe

Serves: 6-8 Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 40 Minutes 40 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.5/5

( 6 voted )

Ingredients

For the homemade Crêpes:

Use this recipe.

For the Blueberry Balsamic Sauce: 

250g fresh blueberries (about 1 + 3/4 cup) (or frozen, thawed – see cooking notes above)
¼ cup (50g) sugar
2 tbsp (30ml) White Balsamic Vinegar (ie. Oliv White Balsamic)
¼ of a lemon, juiced
½ tsp vanilla extract

Vanilla  Ice Cream, for serving 

Instructions

Prepare the crêpes first, see recipe here.

For the Blueberry Balsamic Sauce:

Step 1 – Wash and drain the blueberries. Place them in a large non-stick pan (or large sauce pan) over low heat. Add the sugar, White Balsamic, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Turn the heat to medium-low. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir so the blueberries are evenly coated. They will start to render some juice. Bring to a gentle simmer (this takes about 8-10 minutes), stirring occasionally.

Step 2 – Using the back of the wooden spoon, the back of a fork or a potato masher, gently press the blueberries so they break apart. Continue to simmer on low, stirring occasionally (for about 5 minutes), until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a metal spoon. The sauce should be pourable, with chunks of blueberries still visible. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Step 3 -  For serving, place one or two crêpes on each plate, top with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and drizzle about 2-3 tablespoons (40-60g) of the Balsamic Blueberry sauce on top. Enjoy immediately.

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment below, rate the recipe and/or share a photo on Instagram: tag @pardonyourfrench  and hashtag it #pardonyourfrench.  Bon Appetit! 

I have partnered up with OLiV to bring you this Balsamic Blueberry Sauce recipe, but all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Pardon your French. 

The post Crêpes with Blueberry Balsamic Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream appeared first on Pardon Your French.