Tarte Tropézienne: Saint-Tropez Cream-Filled Brioche vs Baumkuchen (German Tree Cake)

Both desserts rely on butter, eggs, cornstarch and cream, yet put them to very different work. The Tarte Tropézienne kneads butter into a rich, yeasted brioche sprinkled with pearl sugar, then uses cornstarch and egg yolks to set a vanilla-bean pastry cream lightened with whipped cream and served slightly chilled. Baumkuchen creams butter with sugar, folds stiff egg whites into a light batter of flour and cornstarch scented with vanilla and almond, and broils it in thin golden layers. Here cream appears only in the glossy dark chocolate glaze.