- dessert
- tart
- pear
- almond
- baking
Pear & Almond Frangipane Tart
Buttery tart with almond frangipane, sliced pears and a glossy apricot finish.
Ingredients
For the pastry
- Plain flour220 g
- Icing sugar40 g
- Fine sea salt0.25 teaspoon
- Cold unsalted butter120 g
- Large egg yolk1
- Ice-cold water2 tablespoons
For the frangipane
- Unsalted butter, softened100 g
- Caster sugar100 g
- Ground almonds100 g
- Large eggs2
- Plain flour15 g
- Vanilla Extract1 teaspoon
- Amaretto1 tablespoon
To finish
- Ripe but firm Conference pears3
- Lemon0.5
- Flaked almonds2 tablespoons
- Apricot jam1 tablespoon
- Icing sugar
Method
Pulse the flour, icing sugar, salt and cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and enough ice-cold water for the dough to just come together. Flatten into a disc, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough to 3 mm thick and line a 23 cm fluted tart tin. Prick the base, then chill for 15 minutes while you heat the oven to 190°C conventional / 170°C fan.
Line the pastry with baking paper and beans. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the paper and beans, then bake for 7 minutes more. Cool slightly and reduce the oven to 180°C conventional / 160°C fan.
Beat the softened butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the ground almonds, eggs, plain flour, vanilla extract and amaretto until smooth, then spread the frangipane into the pastry case.
Peel, halve and core the pears. Rub them with lemon, slice each half thinly and fan the slices over the frangipane. Scatter with the flaked almonds.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until puffed and deep golden. Warm the apricot jam with 1 teaspoon water and brush it over the hot tart.
Cool for at least 30 minutes before removing from the tin, then dust the edge lightly with icing sugar.