This Pear and Blackberry Frangipane Tart is as visually stunning as it is delicious.
The dessert begins with a melt-in-the-mouth buttery, sweet pastry crust that cradles a vibrant layer of homemade blackberry jam. The tart is then filled with a rich almond frangipane topped with pears which have been poached with blackberries, to give them an attractive blush.
This delicious tart is a fancier variation on my popular Pear and Almond Frangipane tart.
The pears are stained by poaching them in a blackberry liquor, which gives them a pretty redish tinge. After the pears are poached , the blackberries are cooked down to make a tasty jam filling, which is spread on the base of the pastry case.
This is then covered with an almond frangipane filling, with pears and a few more blackberries arranged on top before baking.
The aroma throughout the house, whilst the pears were poached in the blackberry liquor, followed by the mixing and baking of the frangipane, was beautiful. Who needs air fresheners when baking smells so good!
Ingredients
Scroll down for quantities and full printable recipe at the bottom of this post.
for the pastry
- Plain flour - (US =all purpose) is best because it helps give the pastry a light crumb.
- Butter - I tend to use lightly salted butter as that is what I have in the fridge. If you use unsalted butter add a pinch of salt. For the pastry the butter should be cold and cut into cubes to help you rub it into your flour without heating it up too much as you work it.
- Egg - ideally free range
- Icing sugar -(US = confectioner's sugar)
for the fruit
- Blackberries - you can use home or commercially grown blackberries or foraged blackberries for this recipe.
- Caster Sugar - To sweeten the berries, I use golden caster sugar for most of my baking. It's the same as normal caster sugar, but it's unrefined. It is a little more flavoursome with light caramel tones.
- Pears - any variety of dessert pear is suitable
- Honey - to glaze the tart optional
Tip:
If you use pears that are long and thin such as conference pears rather than a more rounded variety they may be too long to lie straight in your flan case, so gently encourage them into a curve to fit.
for the frangipane filling
- Ground almonds - (US = almond flour)
- Butter - for the frangipane should soft and room temperature to prevent curdling.
- Caster Sugar
- Eggs - should be at room temperature so that they combine with the butter and sugar mixture without curdling too much.
How to make the Pear and Blackberry Tart
Step 1
Make a pastry case and bake blind.
Step 2
Poach the pear halves in a pan with the blackberries.
Step 3
Remove pears, add lemon juice and boil until thickened and jam like. Stir frequently.
Step 4
Spread the jam over the base of the pastry case.
Step 5
Make the frangipane and spread over the blackberry layer.
Step 6
Arrange fruit on top and bake
How to serve the tart
Once baked, while still warm the tart can be brushed with a little honey to give it an attractive glaze. Alternatively dust with a little icing sugar when cold.
Serve hot or cold. The tart can be served on its own or with whipped cream, clotted cream, ice cream or custard.
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.
📖 Recipe
Pear and Blackberry Frangipane Tart
Equipment
- 1 23cm (9in) flan tin, with fluted sides with a loose bottom
- 1 baking tray
- Large saucepan
- Rolling Pin
- baking beans (or uncooked rice)
Ingredients
For the Sweet Pasty
- 225 g plain flour (8oz)
- 50 g icing sugar (2oz) , sieved
- 100 g butter (3½oz) chilled & diced
- 1 medium egg lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon cold water if required
For the Frangipane
- 125 g Butter (4oz)softened
- 125 g golden caster (4oz)
- 3 medium eggs
- 125 g ground almonds (4oz)
For the Fruit
- 400 g blackberries (14oz)
- 1 lemon zest & juice
- 2 tablespoon golden caster sugar
- 450 ml water (¾pt)
- 2 pears of similar size
- 1 - 2 tablespoon honey , to glaze
Instructions
To make the pastry
- Place 225g flour and 50g icing sugar in a bowl and add 100g cold diced butter. Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs
- Make a well in the centre of the mixture and add the beaten egg. Mix to form a dough, adding a little water if necessary. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and lightly knead the dough for a few seconds. Wrap in cling film and place in a cool place for 20 minutes to rest.
To cook the pears
- Meanwhile, set 12 blackberries aside. Place the remaining of the 400g of blackberries in a large saucepan with the zest of a lemon and 2 tablespoons of caster sugar. Add about 450ml water. Bring to the boil stirring until the sugar dissolves, then reduce the heat to just simmering.
- Thinly peel two pears, cut in half and remove the core and stalk with a paring knife and teaspoon. Place the pears into the blackberry liquor. Cover the pan with a lid and allow to cook for 20 - 30 minutes until the pears are tender.
- Carefully remove the cooked pears from the pan, placing them on a large plate to cool. Once the pears have cooled, gently remove any blackberry residue from the fruit. Place on a sheet of kitchen paper and set aside.
Make the blackberry jam
- Increase the heat under the blackberry mixture. Add the juice from half of the lemon and stir. and boil, allowing the liquid to reduce in volume. Stir regularly. Boil until the mixture has become thick and jammy in texture. Remove from the heat and set aside
Bake the pastry case
- While the jam is cooking, roll out the pastry and use to line the flan tin. Place into the fridge to chill for about 10 - 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 190℃ (170℃ fan)/375°F/gas mark 5. Prick the base of the pastry case and line with baking parchment. Fill with baking beans and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove the baking beans and parchement and bake for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Spread the blackberry mixture over the base of the tart and allow to cool.
Make the frangipnae
- Put 125g softened butter and 125g caster sugars into a bowl and beat, until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in 125g ground almonds until just combined.
- Carefully spread the frangipane over the blackberry mixture. You may find this easier if you pipe the frangipane on top - see notes below.
To complete
- For long pears, place the pears cut side down onto the work surface and make six deep cuts through the pear. For the shorter pears, make the six slashes, but cutting only halfway through the pear. Arrange the pears on top of the frangipane. If your pears are longer than the radius of the flan you will need to curve the pears. Arrange the reserved blackberries between the pears. Avoid pushing the fruit into the frangipane.
- If your pears are long, encourage them to create a curve though still pointing to the centre. Place the remaining 3 pears in the same way aiming for an equal distance between each of them. Place 3 blackberries between each pear.
- Bake the frangipane. Place the flan tin into the oven (on the preheated baking tray) and bake for 35 - 45 minutes. The tart is ready when the sponge is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven, brush with honey and set aside to cool.
Notes
- To easily spread the frangipane over the blackberry mixture, fill a piping bag (no nozzle required) with the frangipane mixture and pipe in a spiral starting on the outside of the tart over the jam (this will help prevent the jam from being disturbed). Gently use the back of a spoon or a palette knife teaspoon to smooth out the frangipane if necessary.
- For tips on making shortcrust pastry see this post on how to make perfect shortcrust pastry my other blog Recipes Made Easy.
- 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.
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Recipes Made Easy says
I love frangipane in all its guises and this is just the most fabulous flavour combination. I just so want to go and make it right now.
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Aw thankyou Jacqui, I'm a huge fan of frangipane too 🙂
Angela x
Stacey G says
This looks so so pretty, I wouldn't want to cut it! Bet it tasted divine too 🙂 x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Aw thank you Stacey 🙂 I must admit we dived straight into it as it smelt so scrummy. It certainly didn't disappoint 🙂
Thank you for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Angela says
Yes thankfully, it's all calmed down now. I must taste good to insects or something - this is the third time that I've been bitten this season resulting in my skin reacting! Thankfully it didn't itch too much with being around my eye like the other bites did!
Ooh that frangipane was delicious Mands, go forage yourself some blackberries, hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
I must admit I'm not sold on fresh figs (figs rolls are a different matter) so if you post your fig frangipane I'll certainly have a look with interest.
Thanks for popping by and commenting Mands,
Angela x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Yum indeed, it really was delicious Charlotte 🙂
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Aw thank you Danielle that's so kind of you 🙂
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Amanda says
I love the fruit combination! x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Thank you Amanda 🙂
Angela x
woodenwindowsills says
It looked great - I love how you arranged the fruit on top! All of our blackberries are finished already so i opted for a peach and raspberry version! Alice xx
http://www.woodenwindowsills.co.uk
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Aw thank you. We've still got loads of blackberries to pick here and many of the bushes on our walk this weekend were still green so no where near! The peach melba style frangipane sounds delicious - will pop over.
Thanks for popping over to comment Alice,
Angela x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Ha-ha, I must taste good or something as that was the third time this year of being bitten and my skin reacting to it! I'll have to go out in a bee keepers outfit next time!
Thank you Mandy 🙂 I was rally pleased with how well it turned out.
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Aw thank you so much Becky 🙂 You've made my day:-)
Your welcome, and cheers for hosting and popping by,
Angela x
Betsy Transatlantically says
oh how fun that you got to pick your own blackberries! they've been gone in the States for ages - I'm so jealous!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
You've surprised me, I would have imagined the blackberries would have been out at a similar time to ours in the UK, especially the Northern states - I've learnt something new there! It was great picking them, it was a lovely day and so quiet in the Local Nature Reserve where I picked them, apart from a few blackbirds and wrens singing.
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Sophie Broomfield says
Yummy! Sounds like a lovely flavour combination!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Thank you Cynthia, I'm totally with you there - a deep filled tart is the way to go 🙂
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Alison says
Love the pretty swirls on the top, looks gorgeous
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Thank you Alison 🙂
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angrla x
Caroline My Family Ties says
How pretty it looks and I have seen the blackberries are already out what a good way to use them up in a yummy treat 🙂 #GBBOBloggers2015
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Thank you Caroline. They worked really well in the frangipane giving it slightly tart flavour against the sweet pastry and frangipane.
Angela x
Jess Mrs Puddleducky says
Wow look at all those lovely blackberries! This looks to yummy and beautiful. Amazing pud 🙂
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Aw thank you Jess, blackberries are just so scrummy 🙂
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Carrie Landeryou says
What a lovely looking tart and so Autumnal with your flavours...yum!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Thank you Carrie 🙂
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
I'm with you there Mel, I too love frangipane! The blackberries were brilliant in it with their tartness - I'll certainly include blackberries in one again.
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Cathy Glynn says
that looks fab Angela and so decorative, I bet it tastes amazing x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Thank you Cathy 🙂 It certainly did taste amazing!
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Thank you Jasmin, it certainly does look lovely with that curve - it was a bit of a serendipity moment! Though I must say I think to portion it up equally it's easier if they lay straight! Ooh, you must a frangipane tart soon Jasmin!
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Thank you Jenny, it sure did taste good. Even my dad, a typical Yorkshire chap, who usually says things are 'alright' (good praise from him), actually commented I could charge handsomely for a slice of it! As you say, things we do in the name of baking! I'll just have to cover up more next time.
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x