Tarte Tropézienne

Combine the warm milk with the yeast and 1 teaspoon caster sugar in a small bowl and stir to dissolve. Combine the flour, remaining 40g caster sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.

Add the yeast mixture and beaten eggs to the flour mixture. Mix on medium speed for 5 minutes until a shaggy, cohesive dough forms.

Add the softened butter one or two cubes at a time on medium speed, waiting until each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next. Once all butter is added, mix for a further 8 minutes until the dough is smooth, glossy and pulls cleanly from the bowl sides. Add 1 tablespoon of the orange blossom water and mix for 1 minute more.

Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film, and refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight.

Make the pastry cream: whisk the 3 egg yolks with 50g caster sugar and cornflour in a bowl until pale.

Heat 250ml whole milk with the vanilla pod and its seeds over medium heat until just steaming — do not boil.

Pour the hot milk slowly into the egg mixture, whisking constantly, then return the entire mixture to the pan.

Cook the custard over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, for 3–4 minutes until it thickens noticeably and large bubbles blip at the surface.

Remove from heat, stir in 15g butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and the remaining 1 tablespoon orange blossom water. Press cling film directly onto the surface and refrigerate until completely cold, at least 2 hours.

Remove the brioche dough from the refrigerator and press it into a round roughly 20cm in diameter on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking tray, cover loosely, and leave at room temperature to prove for 2–2.5 hours until noticeably puffed and pillowy.

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Mix the egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water, brush gently over the proved dough, and scatter pearl sugar across the surface.

Bake for 25–30 minutes until the brioche is a deep, even golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the base.

Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before splitting.

Whip the cold double cream with the icing sugar to firm, stable peaks. Beat the chilled pastry cream with a spatula until smooth, then fold in the whipped cream in two additions until just combined.

Split the cooled brioche horizontally with a serrated knife. Spread or pipe the diplomat cream generously over the bottom half, replace the pearl-sugar lid, dust with a little icing sugar, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing to allow the filling to set.