🍑 Peach Tart “Royale” (Tarte Pêche Verveine)

Inspired by a creation from French pastry chef Jeffrey Cagnes, the Peach Tart “Royale” is a dessert that plays with perception. At first glance, it resembles a classic Tarte Tatin with its glossy, caramelized-looking fruit dome. However, unlike the traditional upside-down apple tart, this is a modern, structured entremet-tart hybrid.

The “dome” is actually a layer of tender peaches (or nectarines) cooked in vanilla syrup, set in a fruit puree jelly, and glazed to perfection. Beneath this lies a fragrant Lemon Verbena Diplomat Cream (Crème Diplomate), a light and airy custard infused with fresh herbs. The base is a crisp, almond shortcrust pastry (Pâte Sablée), baked until golden and brushed with an egg wash for extra crunch.

This tart is a celebration of late summer stone fruits. The floral notes of lemon verbena elevate the simple peach flavor into something elegant and sophisticated. If you cannot find fresh verbena, fresh lemon zest and basil make a wonderful, aromatic substitute.

🥣 INGREDIENTS

Here is the table of ingredients (Yields: One 22 cm Tart / Mold: Silikomart “Universo” for the peach layer):

👩‍🍳 PREPARATION STEPS (Step-by-Step)

This recipe is best prepared over 2 days to allow for freezing and setting.

Step 1: The Peach Layer (The “Dome”)

1. Prep Fruit: Peel peaches (blanch in boiling water for 1-2 mins to peel easily). Cut into wedges.

2. Poach: Boil water, sugar, and vanilla. Add peach wedges and simmer gently until tender but not mushy. Drain well.

3. Jelly Base: Heat the peach puree. (Optional: whisk in pectin/sugar mix now). Bring to a boil.

4. Set: Remove from heat. Dissolve soaked gelatin in the hot puree.

5. Mold: Pour the puree into the Universo silicone mold. Arrange the drained peach wedges evenly inside. Cool, then freeze overnight.

Step 2: Lemon Verbena Pastry Cream (Base for Diplomat)

1. Infuse: Heat milk with fresh verbena leaves. Remove from heat, blend with immersion blender, and let steep for 15 mins. Strain and reheat milk.

2. Custard: Whisk yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. Pour hot milk into egg mix. Return to pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.

3. Finish: Remove from heat. Stir in soaked gelatin and butter.

4. Chill: Pour into a shallow dish, cover surface with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. (Do not add whipped cream yet).

Step 3: Almond Shortcrust (Tart Shell)

1. Sand Method: Mix butter, icing sugar, flour, almonds, and salt until sandy. Add the egg and knead briefly to form a dough.

2. Rest: Wrap in plastic and chill for 2 hours.

3. Roll & Line: Roll out to 3mm thickness. Line a greased 22 cm tart ring placed on a baking sheet (ideally with an Airmat). Trim edges. Prick base with a fork. Chill/freeze again for firmness.

4. Bake: Preheat oven to 180°C. Bake blind for 18 minutes.

5. Egg Wash: Remove ring. Brush the shell inside and out with egg wash. Bake for another 5 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a rack.

Step 4: Transparent Glaze

1. Boil: Combine water, sugar, lemon juice, and glucose. Heat to 103°C.

2. Finish: Remove from heat. Dissolve soaked gelatin in the hot syrup.

3. Cool: Let cool to 30–35°C before using.

Step 5: Finishing the Cream

1. Whip Cream: Whip the 200g heavy cream to soft peaks.

2. Smooth Custard: Whisk the chilled verbena pastry cream to smooth it out.

3. Fold: Gently fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream in 3 batches. This is now a Crème Diplomate. Transfer to a piping bag with a French star tip.

Step 6: Assembly

1. Fill: Pipe a layer of Diplomat Cream into the bottom of the tart shell. Smooth it flat.

2. Glaze: Unmold the frozen Peach Layer. Place on a rack. Pour the Transparent Glaze (at 30-35°C) over it.

3. Place: Lift the glazed peach disc and place it exactly in the center of the tart.

4. Decorate: Pipe elegant dots of remaining Diplomat Cream around the border. Garnish with fresh verbena leaves and small peach slices.

5. Thaw: Let the tart thaw in the fridge before serving.

Chef’s Guide & Conclusion

Mastering the “Royale” Tart

You have just created a sophisticated French tart. Here are the professional nuances to ensure success:

1. The “Egg Wash” Technique (Dorure):

Step 3 involves brushing the pre-baked tart shell with egg yolk and cream, then baking again for 5 minutes. This is a classic French technique that serves two purposes:

• Aesthetics: It gives the tart a shiny, deep golden-brown color.

• Waterproofing: It seals the porous pastry, keeping it crunchy even after you fill it with the moist Diplomat Cream.

2. Fresh vs. Dried Verbena:

The recipe explicitly warns against using dried lemon verbena tea. Dried herbs can develop a hay-like, dusty flavor in dairy. Fresh leaves contain the essential oils (citral) that taste like Lemonheads candy or Froot Loops. If you can’t find fresh verbena, fresh Thai Basil or simply Lemon Zest are better alternatives than dried tea.

3. The “Tarte Tatin” Look:

The visual trick of this tart depends on the transparency of the glaze. If you use a white chocolate glaze, it will look like a mousse cake. The clear glaze allows the beautiful mosaic of peach slices inside the jelly to shine through, mimicking the caramelized look of a Tarte Tatin without the heavy caramel flavor.

4. Pectin NH:

The recipe mentions optional Pectin NH for the peach layer. Pectin helps bind water. Peaches release a lot of liquid when thawed. Adding pectin prevents the jelly layer from “weeping” water onto your cream as it sits in the fridge. If you don’t have it, ensure your peaches are well-drained after poaching.

Enjoy this elegant, aromatic tart that tastes of late summer sunshine!