When pastry chefs sublimate the mirabelle plum from Lorraine

Delicate, juicy and sweet, mirabelle plums are eaten like candy. Believed to have originated in the Middle East, it was introduced to France in the 15th century. Since 1947, the city of Metz has celebrated the mirabelle during the last two weeks of August.

Today, Lorraine growers harvest 80% of the world's production, and make a point of picking the fruit only when ripe for six weeks - the harvest depends on the date of flowering - generally from mid-August onwards. Depending on the year, production is between 10,000 and 15,000 tonnes a year, with around 100 kg of fruit produced per tree. IGP since 1996, then Label rouge three years later, it also benefits from the "Mirabelle de Lorraine" certification of conformity, enjoyed by only three cooperatives and 250 producers in the region.

Among the best-known Mirabelle varieties are those from Metz, which are mainly used in distilleries but are now disappearing, and Nancy. The former is small and yellow in color, with a thin skin and a bloom that protects it from drying out; the latter is larger. Its greenish-yellow or red-speckled yellow color depends on the thermal amplitude between day and night. The greater the difference, the better the mirabelle ripens and becomes colored. In heatwaves, they remain yellow-green. It can be eaten raw, preserved perfectly, distilled - even used to make beer - and cooked. Fragile, they are firm and supple.

High in energy, mirabelles are rich in sugar, providing 77 kcal/100 g. A source of fiber and beta-carotene, they are also rich in potassium. In the kitchen, they go equally well with sweet and savoury dishes. They go well with red fruits or peaches, but also with game, poultry or white meats.

Cooking tips

• To make a tart like in Lorraine all year round, you can use frozen mirabelle plums, which are placed skin-side down on the raw pastry to prevent juicing, then baked in a 180°C oven.

• Mirabelles bake well in the oven, but can also be pan-fried in butter to accompany a slice of tart or a scoop of ice cream.

• Mirabelles can be frozen whole or pitted, depending on their intended use (whole for a clafoutis, pitted for a tart). They can then be cooked frozen to prevent darkening.

Sweet variations on Mirabelle plums

• Le Mirabellier, Florent Margaillan, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

After the "Framboisier", the "Mûrier" and the "Cerisier", Florent Margaillan imagines the "Mirabellier". A sumptuous interpretation in which the fruit is in the limelight. "I like to work on the taste of fruit. I've taken the codes of the strawberry tree and interpreted them in my own way. Sandwiched between two layers of dacquoise cookie is a compote of mirabelle plums, made with fruit purée, cooked fresh fruit and fresh fruit, to concentrate all the flavors of the mirabelle plum. I finish with a diplomatic Madagascar vanilla cream, into which I insert fresh mirabelle plum halves."

We love this dessert, which is as stunning to look at as it is to taste. And best of all, all these fruity desserts are gluten-free!

Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, 71, boulevard du Général-de-Gaulle, 06230 Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

www.four seasons.com/fr/capferrat/

• L'Ambassadeur, Expert patissiers from Lorraine

Under the presidency of Pascal Cunin (pâtisserie Cunin-Mentré, Charmes), 50 pastry chefs from Lorraine share a number of their region's recipes and keep them alive in their respective patisseries.

Now president of the Grand-Est region's pastry chefs, Frédéric Derelle, in Seichamps, stands out with the "Ambassadeur", a collective travel tart with mirabelle plum and dried fruits (pistachio, almond and hazelnut). The shortcrust pastry features mirabelle compote, almond and hazelnut cream, and caramelized dried fruit on top. Presented in old-fashioned wooden strapping, the tart can be kept for three weeks - if you can resist the temptation! - and can be enjoyed from breakfast to tea-time.

expertspatissiers.fr

• Mirabelle plum jam, Nicolas Bernardé, La Garenne-Colombes

Vintage 2021 for this jam made with mirabelles from the Marlière orchards in Groslay (Val-d'Oise). "Every year, we prepare our jams in season, using freshly harvested fruit. In the case of the mirabelle plums, we pitted them one by one by hand from the 2021 harvest, then made them into jam last year."

This delicately flavored jam (60% fruit) is packed with fruit pieces. An ode to the mirabelle plum made by a Meilleur ouvrier de France.

2, place de la Liberté, 92250 La Garenne-Colombes

www.nico las-bernarde.com

• Les Perles de Lorraine, Nicolas Genot, Nancy

In addition to his fabulous macaroons, Nicolas Genot makes "Perles de Lorraine", the equivalent of the bonbons liqueurs of yesteryear, where the chocolate coating is replaced by fruit paste. "We prepare the mirabelle plum brandy heart in the traditional way, pouring the liqueur and sugar into starch moulds. The sugar is then left to crystallize. This forms a shell containing the eau-de-vie. The final step is to pour the mirabelle plum paste at 100°C over these shells."

A welcome shot of eau-de-vie soothed by the sweetness of the fruit paste. These fragile sweets should be eaten within three weeks of production, otherwise the liqueur will disappear, leaving only a sugary shell in the heart of the fruit paste...

Maison des Sœurs Macarons, 21, rue Gambetta, 54000 Nancy

www.maca ron-de-nancy.com

• Mirabelles confites, Aurélien Rivoire, Paris

During the mirabelle plum season, Aurélien Rivoire likes to bring candied mirabelles back into fashion. "Thisclassic confection is part of our culinary heritage. But extremely sweet, it has been neglected. I wanted to bring it up to date, based on what I've learned from working with Yannick Alléno. I use birch water and fruit juice to make my fruit confits. You have to start with ripe fruit, then, after a succession of baths lasting a fortnight and a drying period of around a month for the mirabelle plum, you get this candied fruit."

We love the crunchy, juicy texture of these fruits, available plain or coated in milk chocolate.

Alléno & Rivoire, 9 rue du Champs de Mars Paris 7

www.choc olat-allenorivoire.fr

• Mirabelle plum sorbet, Sébastien Gaudard, Paris

When the mirabelle plum is in season, Sébastien Gaudard offers not only the must-have tarte à l'ancienne, but also a fabulous Lorraine mirabelle plum sorbet that few ice-cream makers make. "We make a full-fruit sorbet to bring out all the flavors of the mirabelle plum. To exacerbate this unique taste, I add a little lemon juice."

We're off to discover this unusual sorbet, which can be combined with raspberry sorbet, pistachio ice cream or praline. And, inspired by one of the chef's family recipes, we serve it with a pan-fried mirabelle plum cooked in butter and deglazed with mirabelle alcohol. A pure delight!

3, rue des Pyramides, 75001 Paris

www.sebastiengaudard.com