Who doesn’t love a good tart? Having done a couple of other tarts before and conquered my constant bickering with pastry, I was pretty comfortable with tarts now and wanted to try a few different ones. I’ve done lemon, chocolate, snickers, you know, all the important food groups, but had never tried a frangipane tart and after a purchase of some pears that were basically just for show in our fruit bowl, I knew just what to do with them.
I wasn’t actually paying attention to the recipe when I made this and baked the tart first. You are meant to bake it all together. In hindsight, this wasn’t such a bad this as my biggest fear is undercooked pastry and it turned out pretty good if I do say so myself.
Pear and frangipane tart
Adapted from Delicious UK
Ingredients
Shortcrust pastry
225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
110g butter
110g caster sugar
3 medium egg yolks, lightly beaten
Frangipane mix
125g butter, softened
125g caster sugar
2 eggs
125g ground almonds
1 tbsp plain flour
Poached pears
250g caster sugar, plus 2 tsp extra
4 good-sized pears
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
3 cloves
1/2 lemon
2-3 strips orange zest
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
Method
Place butter, sugar and flour in food processor and pulse until resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and, pulse again until combined – you might need to add a teaspoon cold water if the dough is very crumbly. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. I used the KitchenAid (easier and quicker). Gradually beat in the eggs, one at a time, then fold in the ground almonds and flour and mix well. Place in the fridge.
Put the sugar in a saucepan, pour in 500ml water and place over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Peel the pears and add to the pan, along with the cinnamon and cloves. Squeeze the juice from the lemon into the pan and add the squeezed lemon and orange zest. Add the bean paste and some more water to just cover the pears.
Cut out a circle of baking paper large enough to fit inside the pan, and lay on top of the pears. Weigh down with a saucer or small saucepan lid so that the pears stay submerged in the poaching liquor. Simmer for 20 minutes or until just tender when pierced, then remove the pears to a plate with a slotted spoon and discard the liquor and solids. Set aside for 15 minutes or until cool enough to handle.
Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan170°C. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a circle large enough to line the tart tin. Don’t worry if it breaks up, as this is a very short, crumbly pastry – you can just patch it together in the tin and mould it up the sides, making sure it is even all over.
Here’s where I blind baked my tart shell and then added the frangipane once it had baked and cooled. The actual recipe says just to trim off any excess pastry and spread the frangipane evenly on top. Either/or really :/ lol
Cut the pears in half lengthways and, using a teaspoon, scoop out and discard the core from the centre. Cut each pear half in slices, widthways, then lift onto your knife and push down on the pears slightly to fan them out. Lift into the pastry case and arrange in a circle. Fill in the gaps between each pear half with a few more slices and arrange some in the centre. Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is golden and the filling is set. Sprinkle with the extra 2 teaspoons caster sugar and bake in the oven for a further 15 minutes to finish off the browning. Cool in the tin slightly, then remove and transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Excellent recipe and photos. Now that I have my food processor *wink, wink*, I’ll definitely be making more delicious tarts like this.
I love how puffed up and golden it is! Thanks for the fab recipe!
Dear Nic,
Your tart looks beautiful and I love the pattern you have created by fanning out all those pear slices.
I love anything with Frangipane, and your tart looks fantastic, must try this soon!
I like baking my pastry first too! (also because of fear of undercooked pastry!) I’ve never made a frangipane tart either, though I’ve wanted to since they always look so beautiful! Yours is no exception- I especially love the look of the pear slices on top!
Yum nic! That tart looks wonderful and homemade pastry ftw
I am drooling! That just looks so good!!!! Gotta love a good tart
That looks absolutely perfect! Like it belongs in a patisserie window
And yes cooking the pastry first doesn’t seem a bad thing at all!
Oooh, if you’ve done snickers, can I beg for a Reese’s tart next? Sure, this frangipane tart looks incredible… but peanut butter. Peanut butter….
Lovely, just lovely. The way you have shaped the pear slices is very pretty.
Great looking pie:) Love how the pears are cooked perfectly ~
I think everyone who look at this post is craving for delicious tart like yours. I love your very detail recipe for a beginner baker like myself!
I’ve only recently become enamored with making tarts…isn’t it so much fun! This looks delicious! I love the sound of that filling.
god that looks delicious!!!
spare me a slice?
I could just imagine the amazing smell around your house when this was baking. And yes, I do love a good tart! Lemon tarts esp.
I love the way you’ve arranged those pears, and your tart looks beautifully puffed and golden. You can’t beat pastry, frangipane and cooked pears…delicious.
That’s a beautiful tart, looks very tasty!
Nic, you did a splendid job with this tart–I love the pear-frangiapane combination. It looks beautiful, too. Cheers!