She Paused 4 Thought

Food, Fun and Travel

Sugar Pies in Perouges, France

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Sugar Pies in Perouges | She Paused 4 Thought

I love taking a step back in time, especially when it is to the Middles Ages. So when I arrived in Pérouges, a well-preserved medieval walled town, I was enchanted.

Perouges | She Paused 4 Thought

This fascinating and historical cobblestone town is perched on a hill overlooking the Ain River valley 19 miles north of Lyon, France.

Perouges | She Paused 4 Thought

It was developed in the 14th century based around the local wine and weaving industries.

Perouges | She Paused 4 Thought

Today Pérouges has been declared by the French government as “one of the most beautiful villages in France.”

Perouges | She Paused 4 Thought

The fortress Church of St Mary Magdalen was destroyed during a siege in 1468 and later rebuilt in 1479.

Wishing well in Perouges | She Paused 4 Thought

Today the town has fewer than 100 inhabitants and is beautifully maintained.

Perouges | She Paused 4 Thought

Walking down the cobbled streets, you will see artistically placed flowers, artisan shops in old 15 & 16th-century houses, hotels and restaurants.

Perouges | She Paused 4 Thought

Many famous people have visited the village & sampled the local specialty Galette de Pérouges (sugar pie), including Bill Clinton (during the G7 in Lyon in 1996).

Perouges | She Paused 4 Thought

So of course, my mother and I stopped at Hostellerie de Pérouges, a nearly 600-year-old house converted into a hotel & restaurant, to taste this internationally acknowledged sugar sensation.

Perouges | She Paused 4 Thought

We were pleasantly delighted when we tasted this sweet, brioche-like dough with a caramelized sugar and lemon topping.

sugar pie in Perouges | She Paused 4 Thought

Personally, I think it should be called Crème Brûlée Pizza. No matter what name you use, it was the perfect mid-morning indulgence complimented with a glass of Vin du Bugey Montagnieu sparkling wine.

sugar pie in Perouges | She Paused 4 Thought

According to farming tradition, the famous Galette de Pérouges was created by Marie-Louise Thibaut in 1912 when she settled in the village with her husband.  At that time, Pérouges was almost abandoned, so she established a commission to salvage the town and draw tourists.

Marie-Louise opened the Hostellerie de Pérouges and created a menu inspired by medieval dishes, which featured an ancient recipe for a wood-fired sugar pie. The village was saved and the pie still remains one of the star attractions.

Sugar pie in Perouges | She Paused 4 Thought

My friends Rick and Dinah enjoying this unique regional specialty.

Even James Beard felt this sugar pie had “all the virtues of French country cooking—it is simple, inexpensive, and makes thoroughly delicious eating.”  The recipe below comes from Mark Bittman, printed in the New York Times.

Sugar Pie in Perouges | She Paused 4 Thought
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Galette de Pérouges - Sugar Pie

Cuisine French
Author Recipe by Mark Bittman, first printed in the New York Times in 1998

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
  • 2 cups flour plus more for sprinkling
  • Pinch salt
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 stick cold unsalted butter cut into chunks
  • 1 egg
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 stick unsalted butter softened

Instructions

  1. Combine yeast, flour, salt, tablespoon of sugar, cold butter, egg and lemon zest in food processor. Turn machine on, let it run for a second until mixture is blended, and then let machine run while you add 1/4 cup water through feed tube, a little at a time, until mixture forms a ball and is slightly sticky to the touch. If it is dry, add another tablespoon or 2 of water, and process for another 10 seconds. (In the unlikely event that mixture is too sticky, add flour, a tablespoon at a time.)
  2. Turn dough onto very lightly floured work surface, and knead by hand for a few seconds to form a smooth, round ball. Place in a bowl, covered with plastic wrap or damp cloth, and let rise in warm, draft-free area until dough just about doubles in size, or at least 1 hour. (You can also let dough rise more slowly, in refrigerator, for as long as 6 or 8 hours.)
  3. Preheat oven to at least 500°F (600 is better, if your oven goes that high). Knead dough lightly, and place it on a very lightly floured surface; sprinkle it with a little more flour, and cover with plastic wrap or towel. Let it rest while oven heats.
  4. Pat or roll out dough as thinly as possible to a diameter of 12 inches, using a little more flour if necessary. The process will be easier if you allow dough to rest occasionally between rollings. If you have a pizza stone in your oven, place dough on a floured peel, or long-handled board; if you do not, lay dough on lightly buttered baking sheet.
  5. Spread dough with softened butter, and sprinkle it with remaining sugar. Bake until crust is nicely crisp and sugar lightly caramelizes, about 10 minutes; if galette is browning unevenly, rotate it back to front about halfway through cooking time. Serve hot or at room temperature as a snack, or at room temperature with creme fraiche and cut-up ripe fruit.

 

Perouges | She Paused 4 Thought

It is a pleasure to discover every nook and cranny in this adorable historical village.

perouges-ariel-view

Ariel Photo Credit: Les Plus Veaux Village de France

Adventure awaits for all who travel to Pérouges.
…and then, she paused for thought.

 

Sugar Pie in Perouges | She Paused 4 Thought
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Cousin Julie

    Can’t wait to bake a batch of Sugar Pie! …… I’m sure your delicious slice was well deserved after a lot of great exercise walking and touring! What an enchanting village – thanks so much for sharing! The recipe looks like “shortbread meets brioche” …but I love your description “Creme Brulee Pizza!”…..Yum!.. Hmmmm…..note to self……see if hubby thinks building a wood fired oven in our backyard sounds like “fun”??? ……. 🙂

    Reply

  4. Gail

    Can we sign up or is it too late?? Photos are beautiful. Was the pie as good as your sweet moms Apple pie? I can not wait to read about the rest of our special time together! You are missed.

    Reply

  6. CC

    I am SOOOO making this French treat! I can almost taste it! This beautiful little village reminds me so much of Riquewihr, which my mother and I visited in May. Your photos are all totally frame-worthy, Cathy! I hope I can visit one day! Thank you for this lovely post!

    Reply

  7. cheri Newell

    I seem to be traveling vicariously through you these days!!! So glad to see you and your gorgeous mom enjoying life together!!! The pictures are stunning!!! Not sure I will make it to this village… hoping to go back to the French Open next year! Do they serve Sugar Pie in Paris??? Don’t want to make it myself… but willing to travel and get it!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

    Reply

  8. Elaine

    Having been in Perouges with you, Cathy, I’m very impressed with how beautifully you’ve captured the essence of this beautiful village. And yes, the “cream brûlée pizza” is yummy, perfectly complimented by the sparkling wine. I’ll definitely bake the treat for my family and friends. Thanks for the memories, Cathy!

    Reply

  12. nusrat2010

    Thank you for walking me through the enchanting village! Enjoyed those romantic, charming old-timey streets, street lamps, hotels, houses… and the face of the sugar pie! Sweeeeeeet.

    Thanks a billion for digging the recipe for us. Definitely I’d give it a try soon. Who would let go the chance of savoring a sweet piece of medieval France?!

    Reply

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