Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
This Spiced Pear and Almond Frangipane Tart combines a crisp, buttery pastry shell, soft almond filling, and delicate pear fans scented with cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon.
Quick Ingredients
- Pastry: 190 g all-purpose flour, 50 g granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, 115 g cold unsalted butter, 1 large egg yolk, and 1 tablespoon ice water.
- Poached pears: 3 firm medium pears, 1 liter water, 150 g granulated sugar, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 vanilla bean, 3 strips lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
- Frangipane: 100 g softened unsalted butter, 100 g granulated sugar, 100 g almond flour, 2 large eggs, 10 g all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract.
- Finish: 15 g sliced almonds, 40 g smooth apricot jam, and 2 teaspoons water.
Do This
- 1. Make the pastry, shape into a disk, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- 2. Heat the poaching syrup for 10 minutes. Add peeled, halved, cored pears; gently poach for 15 minutes. Cool in the syrup for 15 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
- 3. Roll the pastry into a 12-inch (30 cm) circle, line a 9-inch (23 cm) tart pan, and freeze for 15 minutes.
- 4. Blind-bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes with weights, then 5 minutes without. Cool for 5 minutes and reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- 5. Mix the frangipane and spread it into the shell. Slice the pear halves into 1/8-inch (3 mm) slices, fan over the filling, and scatter with sliced almonds.
- 6. Bake for 40 minutes, until golden and set. Cool for 10 minutes, brush with warmed apricot jam mixed with water, then cool for another 30 minutes before serving.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bakery-worthy without complicated decorating: Fanned pear slices make a beautiful pattern with very little fuss.
- A lovely balance of textures: Crisp pastry, tender almond filling, juicy pears, and toasted sliced almonds.
- Gently spiced, not overpowering: Cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon bring out the pears’ natural sweetness.
- Easy to prepare in stages: Make the pastry and poached pears ahead, then assemble and bake when convenient.
Grocery List
- Produce: 3 firm medium pears, approximately 600 g total before peeling; 1 lemon.
- Dairy: 215 g unsalted butter.
- Eggs: 3 large eggs; use 2 whole eggs and 1 yolk.
- Pantry: 200 g all-purpose flour, 300 g granulated sugar, 100 g fine almond flour, 15 g sliced almonds, 40 g apricot jam, fine salt, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 vanilla bean, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
Full Ingredients
For the Buttery Pastry Shell
- 190 g all-purpose flour, approximately 1 1/2 cups, spooned and leveled
- 50 g granulated sugar, 1/4 cup
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, approximately 1.5 g
- 115 g cold unsalted butter, 1/2 cup, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes
- 1 large egg yolk, approximately 18 g
- 1 tablespoon ice water, 15 ml
For the Spiced Poached Pears
- 3 firm medium Bosc or Conference pears, approximately 600 g total before peeling
- 1 liter water, approximately 4 1/4 cups
- 150 g granulated sugar, 3/4 cup
- 2 cinnamon sticks, each approximately 3 inches (8 cm) long
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, with the seeds scraped out; use both seeds and pod
- 3 wide strips lemon zest, removed with a vegetable peeler with as little white pith as possible
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 15 ml
For the Almond Frangipane
- 100 g unsalted butter, approximately 7 tablespoons, softened but not melted
- 100 g granulated sugar, 1/2 cup
- 2 large eggs, approximately 100 g without shells, at room temperature
- 100 g fine blanched almond flour, approximately 1 cup
- 10 g all-purpose flour, approximately 1 tablespoon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 5 ml
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, 1.25 ml
For Finishing
- 15 g sliced almonds, approximately 2 tablespoons
- 40 g smooth apricot jam, approximately 2 tablespoons
- 2 teaspoons water, 10 ml
Equipment: A 9-inch (23 cm) metal tart pan with a removable base, approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep; rolling pin; parchment paper; pie weights or dried beans; baking sheet; medium saucepan; mixing bowl; and pastry brush. Ingredient weights are the most reliable guide, especially for flour and almond flour.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make and chill the pastry
Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the cold butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, with a few small butter pieces remaining. Work lightly so the butter stays cool.
Mix the egg yolk with the ice water, then stir it into the flour mixture. Gently squeeze the crumbs together until they form a dough; avoid kneading. If the mixture still refuses to hold together when squeezed, add an additional 1 teaspoon of ice water. Shape into a flat disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Poach the pears in fragrant syrup
Combine the water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, vanilla seeds and pod, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan wide enough to hold the pear halves snugly. Heat over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the liquid reaches a gentle simmer.
Meanwhile, peel the pears, halve them lengthwise, and remove the cores with a teaspoon or melon baller. Lower the halves into the syrup and cover their surface with a circle of parchment paper to help keep them submerged. Simmer very gently for 15 minutes, turning once halfway through. A small knife should enter the thickest part with slight resistance; the pears should be tender but still hold their shape. Begin checking after 10 minutes if your pears are already fairly ripe.
Remove the pan from the heat and let the pears cool in the syrup for 15 minutes. Lift them onto a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, cut sides down, and blot thoroughly. Reserve the syrup for another use rather than adding it to the tart.
Step 3: Line the tart pan
On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch (30 cm) circle, approximately 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. If it is too firm to roll without cracking, let it stand at room temperature for 5 minutes first.
Ease the dough into the tart pan without stretching it. Press it gently into the corners and fluted sides, then trim the excess flush with the rim. Patch any small cracks with scraps. Prick the base lightly with a fork and freeze for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a conventional oven to 375°F (190°C), with a rack in the lower-middle position. Set the tart pan on a sturdy baking sheet.
Step 4: Blind-bake the pastry shell
Line the chilled shell with crumpled parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans, bringing the weights up against the sides. Bake for 20 minutes. Carefully lift out the parchment and weights, then bake uncovered for another 5 minutes, until the base looks dry and the edges are lightly golden.
Let the shell cool on its baking sheet for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
Step 5: Mix the almond frangipane
Beat the softened butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer on low speed for 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. There is no need to whip in lots of air.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Stir in the almond flour, all-purpose flour, vanilla extract, and almond extract until evenly combined. If the mixture looks slightly curdled before the almond flour goes in, do not worry; it should come together as you finish mixing.
Step 6: Fill the shell and arrange the pears
Spread the frangipane evenly inside the pastry shell. Place each drained pear half cut side down on a board and slice crosswise into 1/8-inch (3 mm) slices, keeping the slices together in the original pear shape.
Slide a thin spatula beneath each half and transfer it onto the frangipane. Arrange the six halves like spokes, with their narrow ends pointing toward the center. Gently spread the slices into small fans and press them only slightly into the filling. Leave some frangipane visible between the pears so it can rise and brown. Scatter the sliced almonds over the exposed filling.
Step 7: Bake until golden and set
Bake on the baking sheet at 350°F (175°C) for 40 minutes. The frangipane should rise around the pears, turn golden brown, and feel set rather than liquid in the center. A skewer inserted into an exposed patch of filling should come out without wet batter; a few moist crumbs are fine.
If the pastry edge becomes deeply golden before the filling is ready, cover the rim loosely with foil. If the center still looks wet after 40 minutes, bake for another 5 minutes and check again. Transfer the tart, still in its pan, to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.
Step 8: Glaze and serve
Combine the apricot jam and 2 teaspoons water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 15 seconds, stir, and heat for another 10 seconds if needed, until fluid. Strain if the jam contains fruit pieces.
Brush a thin layer over the warm pears and exposed frangipane, avoiding the crisp pastry rim. Let the tart cool for another 30 minutes before removing the outer ring and slicing. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature, when the almond filling has had time to settle.
Pro Tips
- Start with firm pears: Very ripe fruit can collapse during poaching and release too much moisture into the filling.
- Dry the pears thoroughly: Surface syrup is one of the main causes of a damp or underbaked layer beneath the fruit.
- Do not skip blind-baking: It gives the pastry a head start before the moist almond filling goes in.
- Keep the pear slices together: Slice each half without separating the pieces, then use a spatula to move the entire fan neatly.
- Save the syrup: Strain and refrigerate it for up to 1 week. Add a spoonful to sparkling water, or simmer it down to drizzle over yogurt.
Variations
- Orange and cardamom: Replace the lemon zest and juice with the same amounts of orange zest and juice, and replace 1 cinnamon stick with 4 lightly crushed green cardamom pods.
- Chocolate and pear: Scatter 40 g finely chopped dark chocolate over the blind-baked shell before adding the frangipane.
- A gentler almond flavor: Omit the almond extract and increase the vanilla extract in the frangipane to 1 1/2 teaspoons.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Make ahead: Refrigerate the wrapped pastry dough for up to 2 days, or freeze it for up to 1 month. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator. The pears can be poached up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in their syrup in a covered container. Drain and dry them thoroughly before assembling.
Store: Once cooled, cover the baked tart and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Refrigerate within 2 hours of baking. For the best texture, let individual slices stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving, or warm them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 12 minutes.
Freeze: Wrap the fully cooled tart or individual slices tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The pastry will soften slightly after freezing, but gentle oven warming helps restore some crispness.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 540 kcal | Carbs: 59g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 32g | Sodium: 105mg | Cholesterol: 127mg
Nutrition is an estimate for one-eighth of the tart, including the glaze and an allowance for syrup absorbed by the pears. Discarded poaching syrup is not included.
