Originally from Les Saintes archipelago, the tourment d'amour was a sweet treat prepared by fishermen's wives to comfort them after their day at sea. A speciality of Terre-de-Haut island, this delicious little round cake filled with jam is now enjoyed by visiting tourists.
Traditionally, the tourment d'amour consists of a shortcrust pastry that is filled with coconut jam and covered with a soft sponge. There are now alternatives with banana, guava, mango or pineapple jam. These can be enjoyed as a snack or dessert, served with a nice coffee or, if you're so inclined, a little glass of local rum. The tourment d'amour recently became a registered trademark, and the genuine recipe can only be found on Les Saintes archipelago.
Each year on Terre-de-Haut's patronal feast day on 15 August, there's a competition to make the best and biggest tourment d'amour!