Tarte des Alpes facts for kids
The Tarte des Alpes is a delicious pastry from the Southern Alps region. It's like a sweet pie filled with tasty jam. On top, it has cool criss-cross patterns made from strips of pastry.
This special treat is made by talented pastry chefs in places like the Hautes-Alpes and the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. Some companies also make them in factories. A great thing about Tarte des Alpes is that it stays fresh and yummy for many months!
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The Story of Tarte des Alpes
This unique pie first became popular in the Valgaudemar Valley. People there sometimes call it the "pie of the valley" or "country pie." You can find a very similar pie in the Champsaur and Queyras areas, where it's known as the "Queyras pie."
Long ago, this pie was mostly made in winter. People would use fruit jams they had saved from the summer harvest. The first pies often had a creamy plum filling. Sometimes, raspberry or blueberry jam was added too. Today, with its pretty pastry design, the Tarte des Alpes is a famous symbol of the Southern Alps' food.
What's Inside Tarte des Alpes?
Tarte des Alpes is made with two main parts: a sweet pastry crust and a fruit jam filling. The pastry is a type called "shortcrust pastry."
Over time, many different kinds of jams and jellies have been used to fill these pies. You can find lots of fruit flavors now! The most popular ones include:
- Blueberry
- Raspberry
- Apricot
- Prune
- Strawberry
- Fig
- Lemon curd
- Cherry
- Mixed forest fruits
How Tarte des Alpes is Made
The pastry for the pie is made from simple ingredients. These include flour, butter, sugar, eggs, a little salt, and yeast.
Choosing the jam or jelly is up to you and your taste! Often, a little pectin is added to the jam. Pectin helps the jam set nicely.
First, the pastry dough is rolled out flat. Then, it's placed into a pie dish. Next, the dish is filled with the sweet jam or fruit jelly. Finally, thin strips of pastry are placed on top. These strips are usually about 3 millimeters thick and 5 millimeters wide. They are arranged in a criss-cross pattern, which gives the pie its special look.
Enjoying and Storing Your Pie
You can eat Tarte des Alpes warm or cold. It's a great dessert after a meal. Many people also enjoy it for breakfast, or with coffee or afternoon tea.
One of the best things about these pies is how long they last. They can be kept for two or three months. And they will still taste just as good as when they were first made!
