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1
Place the flour, sugar, salt, and crumbled fresh yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the eggs and the orange flower water. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together, then increase to medium and knead for a full 20 minutes. The dough is ready when it is smooth, elastic, and pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.
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2
Add the softened butter in small pieces over 5 minutes of continued mixing, allowing each addition to be fully incorporated before the next. This is where the dish lives or dies: insufficient mixing here produces a dense, cakey crumb rather than the light, pillowy texture that defines the tarte. The finished dough should be glossy, supple, and hold its shape when lifted.
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3
Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight. The dough will be cold, firm, and markedly more aromatic than when it went in — a complex, buttery, faintly floral scent.
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4
Turn the cold dough onto a lightly floured surface. For a large tarte, press and shape it into a flat disc of 30 cm diameter. For individual portions, divide into 80 g pieces and shape into flat rounds of approximately 10 cm. Place on a lined baking sheet. Allow to prove at room temperature until visibly puffed and the surface springs back slowly when pressed.
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5
Brush the surface carefully with beaten egg wash, then scatter pearl sugar evenly over the top, pressing lightly so the grains adhere. Bake the large tarte at 170 °C for 25 minutes; individual portions at 170 °C for 15 minutes. The brioche is done when it is deeply golden on top and sounds hollow when tapped on the underside.
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6
While the brioche bakes, make the crème pâtissière base for both creams. Bring the milk to a simmer. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour together until pale. Pour the hot milk over the yolk mixture, return to the pan, and stir over medium heat until the cream thickens and the raw starch smell disappears — a smooth, shining paste that coats the spoon heavily.
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7
Divide the warm crème pâtissière into two equal portions. For the mousseline: allow one portion to cool to room temperature, then beat in the softened butter in stages until the cream is pale, aerated, and holds a soft peak. For the diplomat: fold the cold whipped cream into the second portion (fully chilled) until uniformly light. Combine both creams in equal parts. Perfume the blend with vanilla extract and orange flower water — the floral note should be immediately and clearly present on the nose.
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8
Allow the baked brioche to cool completely before proceeding — filling a warm brioche will melt the cream. Split the brioche horizontally with a serrated knife. Pipe or spread the cream filling generously onto the base; the cream layer should be as thick as each brioche half. Replace the lid, dust the top with icing sugar, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the cream.
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9
Remove from the refrigerator and rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting and serving. The brioche should feel soft and yielding to the touch, the butter and dairy richness perceptible at slight warmth — not cold.