Tarte a la Brimbelle

Tarte a la brimbelle is a signature dessert of the Hautes-Vosges in Lorraine. Brimbelle is the local Vosges name for the wild bilberry — Vaccinium myrtillus — foraged in the mountain forests in late summer. The recipe dates to the nineteenth century, originating with the farmers of the Hautes-Vosges who baked thick tarts — some four centimeters deep — in cake tins. The wild bilberries are smaller, darker, more tart, and far richer in anthocyanin pigments and aromatic compounds than cultivated blueberries, giving the tart its intense, deep-purple character. A layer of creme d'amande — almond cream — is often spread beneath the berries to prevent a soggy crust and to add a complementary nutty note.

A wedge of tarte a la brimbelle is dramatic — a deep purple, almost black, layer of collapsed wild bilberries over a thin layer of almond cream in a buttery shell. The flavor is intense and tart-sweet, more concentrated than any cultivated blueberry could give, with a woody, almost wine-like note from the wild fruit. Eaten warm or at room temperature, sometimes with a spoonful of creme fraiche.

Tarte a la brimbelle rests on the wild bilberry's chemistry and a pastry structure. The wild Vaccinium myrtillus berries carry far higher concentrations of anthocyanin pigments — the source of the deep purple color — and of aromatic volatile compounds than cultivated blueberries, which is why no substitute matches the flavor. The crust is often pre-baked blind to create a barrier against the wet fruit; a layer of creme d'amande — butter, sugar, ground almonds, egg — spread beneath the berries serves two purposes: its fat and coagulated egg proteins set to absorb and hold the berries' juice (preventing a soggy crust), and its almond flavor complements the bilberries' woody character. During baking, the berries' cell walls break down and release their intensely pigmented juice, which thickens slightly as the natural pectins set.