Pear Frangipane Tart

Before you start

This tart is a staple of French pastry shops: a crisp, sweet shortcrust shell filled with frangipane, a rich almond cream, and topped with pear halves fanned into slices. As it bakes, the frangipane puffs and browns around the pears, and a thin apricot glaze at the end gives a polished shine. It looks elaborate but is a series of simple stages that can be spread over two days.

Poaching the pears first seasons them with vanilla and lemon and makes sure they are tender by the time the frangipane is set. Firm Bosc or Anjou pears hold their shape well. The shell is partly baked before filling so the base stays crisp under the moist almond cream. Let the pears and frangipane come to room temperature before assembling, or the shell softens and the filling bakes unevenly.

Ingredients

• Sweet shortcrust190 g (1½ cups) all-purpose flour
• 60 g (½ cup) powdered sugar
• ¼ tsp fine salt
• 115 g (½ cup) unsalted butter — cold, cubed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1–2 tbsp cold water
• Poached pears3 medium (about 600 g) firm Bosc or Anjou pears
• 1 liter (4 cups) water
• 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
• ½ vanilla bean, split — or 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 strips lemon peel — plus 1 tbsp juice
• Frangipane100 g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter — softened
• 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs — room temperature
• 100 g (1 cup) almond flour
• 15 g (2 tbsp) all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp almond extract — or 1 tbsp dark rum
• pinch fine salt
• Glaze60 g (3 tbsp) apricot jam — warmed with 1 tsp water and strained
• 2 tbsp toasted sliced almonds — optional

Method

1. Combine the flour, powdered sugar and salt, then work in the butter until it resembles fine crumbs. Add the yolk and 1 tbsp cold water and mix until the dough just comes together, adding more water only if needed. Flatten into a disk, wrap and chill for 1 hour.
2. Bring the water, sugar, vanilla and lemon peel and juice to a simmer. Peel, halve and core the pears, add them to the syrup, and cover with a round of parchment. Simmer gently for 15 to 25 minutes, until a knife slides into the thickest part with little resistance. Cool the pears in the syrup for about 1 hour.
3. Roll the dough between parchment to a 28 cm (11 in) circle about 3 mm thick. Ease it into the tart pan, press it into the flutes and trim it flush with the rim. Prick the base and freeze for 15 minutes. Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
4. Line the shell with parchment and weights and bake on a baking sheet for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and bake 5 to 8 minutes more, until the base looks dry and lightly golden. Cool and lower the oven to 175°C (350°F).
5. For the frangipane, beat the butter and sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the almond flour, flour, almond extract and salt until smooth. Spread it evenly in the cooled shell.
6. Pat the pear halves dry. Slice each one crosswise into thin slices, keeping the shape of the half intact, then press gently to fan them. Lift each fanned half with a spatula and set it on the frangipane, narrow ends pointing to the center.
7. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the frangipane is puffed, deep golden around the pears and springs back when pressed lightly. A skewer in the filling should come out clean.
8. Cool on a rack for 20 minutes, then brush the pears and filling with warm apricot glaze and scatter with almonds. Remove the tart ring and cool completely before slicing.

Tips for success

• Save the poaching syrup. Reduced by half it makes a good sauce for the tart or a sweetener for drinks; refrigerate it for up to 2 weeks.
• The frangipane can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated; soften it at room temperature for 30 minutes before spreading.
• Keep the frangipane layer level and no more than two-thirds full; it rises around the pears in the oven.

Substitutions

Poached pears

Use well-drained canned pear halves in light syrup. They are softer and sweeter but save the poaching step.

Almond flour

Use finely ground hazelnuts for a darker, toastier filling that pairs well with pears.

Apricot jam glaze

Brush with reduced poaching syrup instead; it is less glossy but adds vanilla flavor.

Variations

Spiced red wine pears

Poach the pears in 500 ml red wine, 500 ml water, 150 g sugar, a cinnamon stick and 2 cloves for deep red slices.

Chocolate pear frangipane

Replace 15 g of the almond flour with unsweetened cocoa powder.

Troubleshooting

Frangipane is raw under the pears

The pears were wet or the tart came out too early. Pat them dry and bake until the filling springs back and a skewer comes out clean.

Tart shell shrank down the sides

The dough was stretched into the pan or not chilled. Ease it in without pulling and freeze it before blind baking.

Pears are hard after baking

They were underpoached. Simmer until a knife slides in easily before assembling the tart.

Storage

Cover and keep at room temperature for 1 day. After that, refrigerate for up to 3 more days, as the frangipane contains eggs; bring slices to room temperature before serving. The baked tart freezes for up to 2 months.

Safety notes

Do not taste raw dough or frangipane; they contain raw egg and flour. Contains wheat, egg, milk and tree nuts (almonds).