Frangipane Pear Tart
Pear halves fanned over almond cream in a crisp pâte sablée shell, glazed golden and scattered with toasted almonds. The pears are tender and fragrant, the almond cream is soft in the middle, and the pastry shatters when you cut through it!
Ingredients
Pâte sablée
- 220 gr plain flour plus extra for dusting
- 110 gr unsalted butter cold, cut into cubes
- 55 gr icing sugar sifted
- 1 egg
- 1 pinch salt
Frangipane
- 100 gr unsalted butter room temperature
- 100 gr caster sugar
- 100 gr ground almonds
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 10 gr cornstarch
- 1 tbsp dark rum
Poached Pears
- 3 pears ripe but firm (Williams, Comice or Crassane)
- 1 l water
- 150 gr caster sugar
- 1 vanilla pod or ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 lemon juiced
To finish
- 30 gr flaked almonds
Instructions
1. Make the pâte sablée / sweet shortcrust pastry
- Put the flour, icing sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the cold butter and rub in with your fingertips until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Add the egg and mix briefly until it just comes together. Don't overwork it. Flatten into a disc, wrap and chill for 60 minutes.
2. Poach the pears
- While the pastry rests, bring the water, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice to a gentle simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Peel the pears, halve lengthways and core with a small spoon. Poach gently for 15 to 20 minutes, until just tender when pierced. Lift out and cool completely.
3. Line the tart ring and freeze
- Roll the pastry out to 3mm on a floured surface. Line the tart ring, pressing into the base and up the sides. Trim flush and prick the base with a fork. Freeze for 20 minutes.
4. Blind bake the shell
- Heat the oven to 165°C fan / 185°C conventional. Place the frozen ring on a perforated sheet lined with the baking mat. Blind bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until pale golden and dry. Cool slightly.
5. Make the frangipane
- Beat the butter and sugar until pale, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each. Add the ground almonds, cornflour and rum. Mix just until smooth. Don't overwhip.
6. Assemble
- Spread the frangipane over the base, just below the pastry rim. Slice each pear half crossways into thin slices, keeping the shape, and press to fan slightly. Arrange the pear halves on the cream, pointed ends toward the centre, evenly spaced. Scatter flaked almonds over the visible cream only, not the pears.
7. Bake
- Bake at 165°C fan / 185°C for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cream is set and golden and a skewer comes out clean. The pears should be lightly caramelised at the edges. Turn the tray halfway.
8. Glaze and cool
- Reduce the reserved poaching syrup by half until it coats a spoon, about 10 to 15 minutes, then take it off the heat. Let the baked tart cool completely on a rack first, then brush the glaze generously over the whole surface, pears and cream both. Glazing a cooled tart (rather than a warm one) lets the glaze set to a proper shine instead of running down between the pear slices. Unmould and slice once fully set.
Toast the almonds separately, for a neater finish. Leave the flaked almonds off before baking, toast them on their own in the oven for a few minutes, then scatter them over the glaze at the end. Sometimes that is easier for a more even, controlled toast.
Notes
- Don't throw away the poaching syrup. Once reduced for the glaze you'll still have plenty left. Pour it into a clean jar and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It's beautifully perfumed with vanilla, lemon, and pear and works wonderfully for poaching other fruits. You can also stir a spoonful through plain yoghurt, drizzle it over a panna cotta, mix it into a salad dressing for a fruit salad, or use it to sweeten a homemade lemonade. It's essentially a ready-made flavoured syrup, so use it wherever you'd use a simple syrup.
- For the pear fan presentation, slice each pear half crossways into thin slices, keeping them together. Press gently to fan them out slightly before laying on the tart. This is the classic bourdaloue look and gives you a beautiful finish.
- Tinned pears. If you don't have time to poach, well-drained tinned pears in juice (not syrup) work reasonably well. Pat them dry thoroughly before using. The result is slightly sweeter and less fragrant, but perfectly acceptable.
- This tart keeps well for 2 days at room temperature, covered loosely. Do not refrigerate, the pastry will soften.