• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Only Crumbs Remain
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Subscibe
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Subscibe
  • Contact
  • Follow me

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Subscibe
    • Contact
  • Follow me

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Pear & Almond Frangipane Tart

    Published: Apr 17, 2021 · Modified: Aug 21, 2021 by Jacqueline Bellefontaine ·

    Sharing is caring!

    101 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    pear and almond tart with slice out on a plate served with a dollop of cream.
    pear and almond tart.

    With melt in the mouth pastry and a classic flavour combination, this Pear and Almond Frangipane Tart not only looks inviting but also tastes amazing.

    Almonds and pears are such a classic combination.  They work so beautifully well together.  And when the pears are poached lightly in a simple syrup containing vanilla and cinnamon the whole tart really comes alive.  

    Pear and almond tart with plate of cutlery and vase flowers above.

    Sometimes called a frangipane tart the finished tart is glazed with a little apricot jam to produce a wonderful sheen to the finished bake.

    The flaked almonds provide a lovely contrast of texture and once finished with a glaze of apricot jam the whole bake looks incredibly inviting.

    The almond pastry

    The pastry case is made from a delicious almond pastry. Adding ground almonds make the pastry melt in the mouth making this one of my favourite pastries to use for sweet tarts. Unlike some rich sweet pastries, which tend to break and crack as you roll them out, this is surprisingly easy to handle.

    Cook's Tip: If you do find it difficult to roll out, try rolling out the pastry between 2 sheets of clingfilm or baking parchment.

    As with all pastry try not to stretch the pastry as you roll it, Only roll the pastry in a forward motion and keep turning the pastry as you roll it. And make sure you chill the pastry before baking.

    The Poached Pears

    I've poached the pears in a vanilla and cinnamon flavoured syrup, which works well with the frangipane. If you want you can subtly change the flavour of the tart by poaching the pears in a different flavoured syrup.

    Poached pear variations

    • Try poaching the pears in white wine or cider for added flavour.
    • Replace the cinnamon with a few lightly crushed cardamom pods and a pinch of saffron.
    • Short of time? Replace with tinned pears the flavour of the pears won't be quite so special but the tart will still be delicious!
    pear and almond tart with slice out on a plate served with a dollop of cream.

    The Frangipane

    What is Frangipane?

    Frangipane is a delicious almond filling used in a variety of bakes. Made from almonds, butter, sugar, eggs and sometimes milk. Depending on the recipe it can vary from an almost custard-like filling to something more like an almond sponge cake.

    Indeed the frangipane is made using the creaming method in the same way you would make a Victoria sandwich, substituting the flour with ground almonds. Don't worry if the mixture looks a bit curdled after adding the eggs, this is normal.

    Almonds are the classic nuts used in frangipane but you can also make a delicious version with ground hazelnuts.

    How long will the tart keep?

    The tart will keep for several days if stored in an airtight container or well wrapped in a cool place. You can also keep it in the fridge for a little longer but make sure you bring it up to room temperature before serving.

    The tart freezes well for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature.

    How to serve the tart

    Serve hot or cold. It can be served on it's own or with whipped cream, clotted cream, ice cream or custard.

    If you like this you may also like

    french apple tart (tarte aux pomme) on a serving plate Apples above and cake slice to one side.
    French apple tart
    Berry custard tart on pink plate.
    Berry custard tart
    lemon and gin tart with lemon halves behind.
    Lemon and gin tart
    Classic pear and almond tart in pastry tin.

    Pear and almond tart

    With a classic flavour combination, this Pear and Almond Tart not only looks inviting but also tastes amazing. Serve hot or cold with or without cream or ice cream.
    Course afternoon tea, Cake, Dessert
    Cuisine International
    Keyword Almond, flan, pears, tart
    Prep Time 25 mins
    Cook Time 55 mins
    Chilling 45 mins
    Servings 8
    Author Jacqueline Bellefontaine
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!

    Equipment

    • 23cm (9in) round fluted flan tin.

    Ingredients

    Pastry

    • 175 g (6oz) plain flour (all purpose)
    • 50 g (2oz) ground almonds (almond flour)
    • 2 tablespoon icing sugar
    • 100 g (3½oz) butter cut into cubes
    • 1 yolk egg optional
    • 2 tablespoon water

    Poached pears

    • 300 ml water
    • 250 g (9oz)golden caster sugar
    • 1 vanilla pod split
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • 2 firm ripe pears

    Frangipane filling

    • 125 g butter softened
    • 125 g caster sugar
    • 125 g ground almonds (almond flour)
    • 2 large eggs

    To finish

    • small handful flaked almonds
    • 1 tablespoon apricot jam sieved

    Instructions

    To poach the pears

    • Pour about 300ml (½pt) water into a saucepan, then add 250g (9oz) sugar, 1 split vanilla pod and 1 cinnamon stick. Heat gently stirring until the sugar dissolves.
    • Peel 2 pears and cut into quarters. Remove the core. Gently place the pear quarters into the pan and poach for 15 minutes or until they feel tender once a sharp knife is inserted. Turn the heat off and allow the pears to cool with the syrup.

    To make the pastry case,

    • Meanwhile, place 175g (6oz) flour, 50g (2oz) ground almonds and 2 tablespoon icing sugar into a mixing bowl with 100g (3½oz) butter. Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
    • Add the egg yolk, if using and enough cold water (about 2 tablespoon or a little more if omitting the egg yolk) to mix to a dough and allow to rest in a cool place for 10 minutes.
    • Roll out the pastry and use to a line a 23cm (9in) round fluted flan tin and chill for at least 30 minutes.
    • Preheat the oven to 200ºC (180ºC fan)/400ºF/gas mark 6. Line the pastry case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake for 10 minutes.
    • Remove the paper and beans and bake for another 10 minutes or until just golden.

    Make the frangipane.

    • Beat together 125 g (4oz) butter and 125 g (4oz) sugar until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in eggs then fold in 125 g (4oz) ground almonds.

    To assemble the tart

    • Carefully remove the poached pears from the poaching liquor with a draining spoon and place them on a wire rack to drain for a few minutes.
    • Spoon the frangipane filling into the baked pastry case and spread level. Arrange the drained pears on top of the frangipane with the pointed ends pointing towards the centre. There’s no need to push the pears into the frangipane.
    • Scatter a few flaked almonds over the tart, moving the almond flakes which land on the pears themselves. Bake. for about 35 minutes until a good golden brown. You may need to rotate the tart after about 20-25 minutes of baking. Remove the tart from the oven and place it onto a cooling rack. Use a pastry brush to carefully brush the apricot jam over the surface of the frangipane. Serve warm or cold.

    Notes

    Use a skewer or tooth pick to test if the frangipane is cooked through. It should come out clean. If it looks like it is beginning to brown too much before the frangipane is cooked reduce the oven temperature slightly.
    Store:
    In an airtight container or wrapped in foil in  cool dry place for up to 4 days.
    Freeze for up to 3 months
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment or mention @OnlyCrumbsRemain or tag #OnlyCrumbsRemain!

     

    « Apple and sultana hot cross buns
    Summer Strawberry Roulade »

    About Jacqueline Bellefontaine

    Jacqueline is a member of the Guild of Food Writers and has been a cookery writer and food stylist for over 25 years. She has written over 15 cookery books, in addition to writing for several major magazines. She likes to champion good basic home cooking and as the daughter of a master baker, she is passionate about home baking.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lesley Young

      October 06, 2021 at 5:22 pm

      Your tart inspired me to make one, I cheated with tin pears.
      Now in the oven and looks fab.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Bellefontaine

        October 07, 2021 at 3:39 pm

        I do hope (and I'm sure it will) tastes as good as it looks.

        Reply
    2. a said

      March 10, 2021 at 8:48 pm

      i made this but swapped the flour for gluten free and my whole family liked it

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Bellefontaine

        March 14, 2021 at 12:14 pm

        That's great to hear I love this tart.

        Reply
    3. Corina

      April 28, 2017 at 7:20 pm

      Such a gorgeous tart! I really love frangipane as well

      Reply
    4. Choclette Blogger

      April 27, 2017 at 2:28 pm

      Your pear tart looks amazing though and a slice of this would be very welcome right now. Frangipane tarts are one of my favourites, but they're a rarity here as they're a bit of a faff to make.

      Reply
    5. Sarah James

      April 27, 2017 at 9:58 am

      Your pear tart looks delicious, I love anything frangipane.

      Reply

    Rate and leave a comment - I love to get your feed back and will reply as soon as I can. Comments may be held for moderation before publishing. Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    head and shoulders of Jacqueline Bellefontaine.

    Hello I'm Jacqui,

    I love baking and I have been writing recipes for more years than I care to remember. I can't wait to share some of my favourite sweet and baking recipes for you to enjoy.

    More about me →

    Member of

    Guild of food writers logo

    Popular recipes

    • blank
      Pear & Almond Frangipane Tart
    • blank
      White Chocolate Buttercream
    • blank
      Lemon and Raspberry Layer Cake
    • blank
      Rhubarb and ginger loaf cake

    Visit my other blog

    recipes made easy logo

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Privacy

    • Disclosure and Privacy policy

    Copyright © 2022 Only Crumbs Remain