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This classic Pear Frangipane Tart, called Tarte Bourdaloue in French, makes a delicious Autumn and Winter dessert that is full of flavours and texture. The Sweet Shortcrust Pastry is filled with an Almond Cream and topped with Poached Pears.
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- Why we love this recipe
- What is a Frangipane Tart
- Ingredients
- How to make step-by-step
- Assembling the Tart
- Recipe FAQs
- More Tart Recipes
- Recipe
- Comments
Why we love this recipe
This Pear Frangipane Tart is a classic dessert that is simply great to serve when the weather gets cold. It combines a traditional Pâte Sucrée (Sweet Shortcrust Pastry), some homemade Almond Cream Filling and fragrant Poached Pears. A perfect mix of flavours and textures!
Pears and Almond is a match-made in heaven. The sweet flavour and soft texture of the poached pears works perfectly with the nuttiness and light crunch of the almond filling.
This Almond and Pear Tart is an amazing dessert to serve for afternoon tea, a special occasion or the Holidays. And if you want to try something a bit different, also check out my Pear Frangipane Tartlets, Apple Frangipane Tart and Apricot Frangipane Tart.
What is a Frangipane Tart
A Frangipane Tart is a classic dessert combining a pastry crust, a baked almond cream filling (sometimes called frangipane filling) and usually some fruits. When made with Pears, it is called a "Tarte Bourdaloue" in French.
Ingredients
Scroll down to recipe card below for all quantities.
For the Tart Pastry Dough (Pâte Sucrée)
- Wet Ingredients: very soft Butter (I used Unsalted Butter), Icing Sugar (or Confectioner's Sugar) and an Egg (medium to large size, at room temperature).
- Dry Ingredients: a mix of Almond Meal (will work with Almond Flour too), Plain / All-Purpose Flour and a pinch of Fine Salt.
For the Almond Cream Filling
The filling is made from equal parts of:
- Butter: Unsalted and very Soft (at room temperature).
- Sugar: Caster Sugar or Fine White Granulated Sugar
- Egg: you will need both the egg yolk and egg white. Use a medium to large sized egg, at room temperature.
- Almond Meal: you can use both blanched or un-blanched almond meal made from corse ground almonds. Although it will work with almond flour too, it will change the texture of the cream and you will loose the crunch.
Optionally, you can also add a little bit of Vanilla or Almond Extract to the filling for a stronger flavour.
For the Poached Pears:
- For the Poaching Syrup: a mix of Water, some Lemon Juice (fresh or bottled), Vanilla Paste (vanilla extract will work too) and some Caster Sugar.
- Pears: use firm pears that will keep their shapes when poached and baked. You will need to peel and core them before poaching them. See FAQs section below for the best pear varieties.
Optional: to finish the pear frangipane tart, I also made a Vanilla Simple Syrup made out of equal parts of water and sugar plus some vanilla paste. You could also brush the fruits with a little bit of diluted apricot jam.
How to make step-by-step
Pâte Sucrée (Sweet Shortcrust Pastry)
The first step to make the pear frangipane tart is to prepare the Tart Shell. It is made from a Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Dough or Pâte Sucrée in French. The pastry can be prepared in advance and kept either baked at room temperature or unbaked in the fridge for 24 hours.
- Photo 1: In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), cream together the soft Butter and sifted Icing Sugar for a couple of minutes or until smooth and creamy.
- Photo 2: Add the Egg (I usually whisk it separately first) and Almond Meal. Mix until combined; you should get a corse paste. Stop and scrape the side of the bowl if needed.
- Photo 3: Add the Flour and Salt. Make sure to sift the flour first so that it doesn't create lumps int the mixture.
- Photo 4: Mix on low until a rough dough comes together. Stop the mixer as soon as it comes together to avoid overworking the pastry.
- Transfer the pastry dough over a large sheet of baking paper or parchment paper. Bring it together into a ball then slightly press on it to create a disk.
Traditionally, a "fraisage" is done at this step. With the palm of your hand, gently press the dough out then pick it back and place back over the centre of the pastry. Keep on going until the dough is very smooth. You can see how to do this technique in the video in the recipe card below.
- Photo 5: Place a second sheet of baking paper over the pastry and roll to a thickness of about 4 mm (1/8 inch). Use a rolling pin with thickness rings to get an even thickness.
- Place the flat pastry in the fridge to chill and rest for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours.
- Take the pastry out of the fridge and leave to come back to room temperature for about 5 minutes.
- Photo 6: Transfer it inside over a Tart Pan (I used a 24 cm / 9,5 to 10-inch diameter Tart Pan with Removable Bottom). Gently press the pastry down into the corner of the pan to create a 90 degree angle. If the pastry cracks, simply patch it up with your fingers.
- Photo 7: Cut off any excess with a small pairing knife and place back in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours.
- Photo 8: Dock the pastry (prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork) and preheat your oven on 160 degree Celsius / 325 degree Fahrenheit. Place the tin in the freezer in the meantime.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bottom feels dry to the touch. Set aside to cool down.
If the pastry has been properly chilled and rested, it shouldn't need any pie weights, dry beans or rice to par-bake. We are trying to bake the bottom of the pastry as much as we can before adding the filling so you actually want to avoid covering it up!
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Poached Pears
While the pastry is resting, you can start preparing the poached pears.
- Photo 9: Peel the Pears, slice them in half and core them.
- Photo 10: In a large saucepan, prepare the poaching liquid. Mix together the Water, Lemon Juice, Vanilla and Sugar. Turn on medium heat and bring to a simmer. Wait until the sugar has dissolved.
You could also flavour the poaching syrup by adding some spices like cinnamon sticks, some ginger or star anise.
- Photo 11: Place the pear halves in the poaching liquid and turn down the heat. Leave to cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the pears are slightly soft. Make sure to take them out before they are too soft and start loosing their shapes.
- Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer them over a wire rack covered with paper towel to cool down and drain slightly.
- Photo 12: Optionally, cut each pear halves into thin slices of about half a centimetre (1/5 inch). Set aside.
Almond Cream Filling
The last preparation is the Almond Filling.
- Photo 13: In a mixing bowl, cream together the soft Butter and Sugar with a mixer for about 3 minutes on medium speed. It should appear very soft and creamy. You can also do it in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Photo 14: Add the Egg and slowly mix it in. If it seems to be curdling, it could be because your butter wasn't soft enough. Don't worry, the mixture will come back together later.
- Photo 15: Add the Almond Meal.
- Photo 16: Slowly mix until a thick paste comes together. Transfer the almond cream into a piping or pastry bag fitted with a large round nozzle.
The almond cream can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Note that it will need to come back to room temperature before being used as the butter with harden when chilled.
Assembling the Tart
When all of your pear frangipane tart components are ready, it is time to assemble them and bake the tart.
- Photo 17: Pipe the Almond Cream filling at the bottom of the par-baked tart crust, starting from the centre and creating a spiral of cream towards the edges of the crust. Smooth it out with a small offset spatula.
Note that using a pastry bag is optional and you could directly spread it around with the offset spatula or back of a spoon. Piping the cream simply helps you get an even thickness all around the tart.
- Photo 18: Gently place each poached pear over the cream and lightly press them in. I used an offset spatula to lift each sliced pear and keep it together until placed over the cream.
- Photo 19: Optionally, sprinkle some Flaked Almonds (or Slivered Almonds) between each pears. Bake for another 40 to 45 minutes at 160 degree Celsius / 325 degree Fahrenheit. The almond filling should have puffed up and look golden.
- Photo 20: Optionally, prepare a simply syrup glaze to brush over the pears. In a small saucepan, combine Water, Sugar and Vanilla Paste. Bring to a simmer and leave to reduce until it looks very slightly thick. Brush it over the pears while still warm.
The pear almond tart can be served lukewarm or cold. Dust with a bit of icing sugar before serving, and finish with some whipped cream, pear compote or even ice cream.
Recipe FAQs
What is the difference between Bakewell Tart and Frangipane Tart?
A Frangipane Tart combines a pastry crust, almond cream filling (or frangipane cream) and usually a fruit topping like for this pear frangipane tart or Peach Frangipane Tart. A Bakewell Tart has a layer of jam between the crust and the almond cream, and is not usually topped with fruits.
Is Almond Cream the same as Frangipane Cream?
In classic French Pastry, Almond Cream and Frangipane Cream are actually two different things.
An Almond Cream (Crème d'Amande) is made out of Butter, Sugar, Egg and Almond Meal. A Frangipane Cream (Crème Frangipane) combines Almond Cream and Pastry Cream and is traditionally used to make Galette des Rois.
In our case, the Frangipane name is actually given to the dessert itself ("tarte frangipane") rather than the type of cream used to make it.
What is the best variety of Pears to bake with?
Pick for a pear variety that will turn soft when baked but firm enough to hold its shape. Flavoured wise, you can choose your favourite pear variety such as Bartlett Pears, Anjou Pears, Concorde Pears or Bosc Pears.
Can I use canned Pears?
Yes, but make sure to drain the canned pears well to remove as much as the syrup it is stored in as possible.
Tips & Tricks
- Resting and Chilling the pastry for a long time each time you handle it is key to get a tart crust that does not move, shrink or collapse in the oven.If you can, leave the pastry in the fridge overnight before baking it for the best results.
- The almond cream filling can be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge for up to a day, covered with plastic wrap. Let it come back to room temperature before using it so that it is soft enough to spread around.
- Make sure to drain the pears after poaching them. I like to place them over a wire rack lined with paper towel to absorb any extra moisture. You don't want that extra water to come out while the pear almond tart is baking - it would make the filling go soggy.
- For a nice shine over the pears, brush the top of the tart with a simple syrup (equal part of water and sugar, cooked until lightly thickened). Alternatively, mix some Apricot Jam with a little bit of water for a similar effect.
Storing & Freezing
Making in advance: both the pastry, filling and poached pears can be prepared in advance (up to 24 hours) and assembled just before baking.
The unbaked tart pastry can be kept for 24 hours in the fridge, either rolled between the baking paper sheets or inside the tart tin, covered with plastic wrap. The almond cream should be stored in the fridge, along with the poached pears.
Storing: once baked, the pear frangipane tart should be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can serve it cold and re-heat it up slightly before serving.
Freezing: I don't recommend freezing the baked tart as it will impact the final texture, but the pastry itself can be frozen before baking.
More Tart Recipes
- French Orange Tart
- Rhubarb Tart
- Chocolate Ganache Tart
- French Apple Tart
- Raspberry and Chocolate Tart
- Strawberry Custard Tart
- Lemon Curd Tart
- Peach Tarte Tatin
- Rustic Blackberry Tart
- Passion Fruit Tart
I am so excited to share that my debut cookbook
"Bite-Sized French Pastries for the Beginner Baker"
was released in December 2023!
Order Here
Recipe
Pear Frangipane Tart
This classic Pear Frangipane Tart, called Tarte Bourdaloue in French, is a delicious Autumn and Winter pastry that is full of flavours and texture. The Sweet Shortcrust Pastry is filled with an Almond Cream and topped with Poached Pears.
4.85 from 20 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 1 hour hour
Cook Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
Resting Time: 2 hours hours
Total Time: 4 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 450kcal
Author: Sylvie
Ingredients
Pâte Sucrée (Sweet Shortcrust Pastry)
- 100 gr Unsalted Butter - soft
- 50 gr Icing Sugar - or Confectioner's Sugar, sifted
- 1 Egg - medium to large, at room temperature
- 50 gr Almond Meal
- 200 gr Plain / All-Purpose Flour
- 1 pinch Fine Table Salt
Poached Pears
- 3 Pears - firm
- 1,5 litre Water - or enough to cover the pears
- 50 gr Caster Sugar
- 20 ml Lemon Juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Paste - or extract
Almond Cream Filling
- 100 gr Unsalted Butter - soft
- 100 gr Caster Sugar
- 2 Eggs - about 100gr, at room temperature
- 100 gr Almond Meal
- Flaked Almond (optional) - to taste
Simple Syrup Glaze (optional)
- 45 ml Water
- 45 gr Caster Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Paste - optional
Disclaimer
I highly recommend using the measurements in grams & ml (instead of cups & spoons) for more accuracy and better results.
Instructions
Pâte Sucrée (Sweet Shortcrust Pastry)
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the soft Butter and sifted Icing Sugar for a couple of minutes or until smooth.
Mix in the Egg and Almond Meal, then add the Flour and Salt. Mix on low until a rough dough comes together (see note 1).
Transfer the pastry dough over a large sheet of baking paper. Do a "fraisage": With the palm of your hand, gently press the dough out then pick it back and place back over the centre of the pastry. Keep on going until the dough is very smooth.
Place a second sheet of baking paper over the pastry and roll to a thickness of about 4 mm (1/8 inch) (see note 2). Place in the fridge to chill and rest for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours.
Transfer it inside over a 24 cm / 9,5-inch Tart Pan with Removable Bottom. Gently press the pastry down into the corner of the pan to create a 90 degree angle (see note 3). Cut off any excess with a small pairing knife and place back in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours.
Dock the pastry (prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork) and preheat your oven on 160 degree Celsius / 325 degree Fahrenheit. Place the tin in the freezer in the meantime. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bottom feels dry to the touch (see note 4). Set aside to cool down.
Poached Pears
Peel the Pears, slice them in half and core them.
In a large saucepan, mix together the Water, Lemon Juice, Vanilla and Sugar. Turn on medium heat and bring to a simmer. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the pear halves. Cook on low to medium heat (no more than a simmer) for 10 to 15 minutes or until the pears are slightly soft (see note 5).
Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer them over a wire rack covered with paper towel to cool down and drain slightly. Optionally, cut each pear halves into thin slices of about half a centimetre (1/5 inch). Set aside.
Almond Cream Filling
In a mixing bowl, cream together the soft Butter and Sugar with a mixer for about 3 minutes on medium speed or until very soft and creamy.
Slowly mix in the Egg, then the Almond Meal until a thick paste comes together (see note 6).
Assembling the Tart
Preheat your oven on 160 degree Celsius / 325 degree Fahrenheit.
Spread the Almond Cream at the bottom of the par-baked tart crust (see note 7).
Gently place each Poached Pear over the cream using a small offset spatula to lift them up. Lightly press them into the cream. Optionally, sprinkle some Flaked Almonds between each pears.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the almond filling has puffed up and looks golden.
Simple Syrup Glaze (optional)
In a small saucepan, combine Water, Sugar and Vanilla Paste. Bring to a simmer and leave to reduce until it looks very slightly thick. Brush it over the pears while still warm (see note 8).
Tried this recipe? Make sure to leave a comment and star rating below!
Notes
I used a 24 cm / 9,5 inch Tart Pan with Removable Bottom. The quantities should be enough for a slightly larger tart pan (25 cm / 10 inch).
- Stop the mixer as soon as it comes together to avoid overworking the pastry. To know the pastry is properly mixed, press some of the crumbs between your hands. If they stick together, it is ready. If the dough appears to be too dry still, you can add a few drops of very cold water.
- I recommend using a rolling pin with thickness rings to get an even thickness.
- I recommend leaving the pastry at room temperature for about 5 minutes before lining the tart pan so that it is softer and easier to handle. If the pastry cracks, simply patch it up with your fingers.
- If the pastry has been properly chilled and rested, it shouldn't need any pie weights, dry beans or rice to par-bake. We are trying to bake the bottom of the pastry as much as we can before adding the filling so you actually want to avoid covering it up.
- Make sure to take them out before they are too soft and start loosing their shapes.
- The almond cream can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Note that it will need to come back to room temperature before being used as the butter with harden when chilled.
- You can either pipe the Almond Cream (in a pastry bag fitted with large round tip) then smooth it out with a small offset spatula, or spread it around directly from the bowl.
- Alternatively, mix some Apricot Jam with a little bit of water for a similar effect.
Nutrition
Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 34mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 585IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg
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