Pear frangipane tart has a buttery shortbread crust baked with almond frangipane filling and topped with sliced pears and almonds.
Kick off pear season with this pear frangipane tart! Several varieties of pears grow in the United States.
The end of summer marks the beginning of Bartlett pear season! Bartletts are my favorite for snacking and baking.
Table of Contents
Pear Frangipane Tart
This frangipane tart is a combination of two previously shared recipes.
It uses the pâte sucrée crust from this almond pine nut tart paired with the homemade almond frangipane filling from this nectarine frangipane tart.
What is pâte sucrée?
Translated from French, pâte sucrée means “sugar dough.”
Easily mix this tart dough together like cookie dough. Cream softened with sugar and eggs to create a crumbly dough that is very forgiving and easy to roll out.
No need to worry about rips or tears when lining the tart shell pan.
With pâte sucrée, you patch holes by simply pressing additional dough into the tear.However, with pâte sucrée the dough needs to be par-baked prior to adding filling.
What is blind baking or par-baking?
This refers to baking an unfilled pastry shell. It is also known as pre-baking. This is done to prevent a soggy crust bottom once the filling is added.
Weights such as beans or ceramic beads lined the tart shell during baking to prevent bubbles from forming.
There are two types of blind baking: partial blind bake and full blind bake.
BAKING 101: Blind Bake
Partial Blind Bake
- As the name suggests, the dough is partially baked without filling, then fully baked once the filling has been added.
Full Blind Bake
- Whereas, full blind bake means that crust is completely baked before any filling is added.
Full blind bake is common for pies and tarts filled with pastry cream or mousse. Examples include: Blood Orange Earl Grey Tarts and Peanut Butter Mousse Tarts.
How to partially blind bake tart shell:
- Use a fluted tart shell with a removable bottom. This recipes works best with a 9.5-inch or 10-inch tart shell.
- Line tart shell with dough. Dock dough with fork to prevent bubbles from forming in the oven. (Usually the dough is also allowed to chill and rest in the fridge prior to baking.)
- Line dough with parchment paper (or aluminum foil) and top with weights. Any oven safe weights will do: fancy ceramic pie weights, dried beans, or dried rice.
- Partially bake tart shell. Remove parchment paper and weights. Let shell cool before adding filling.
Pour in the frangipane filling once the par-baked crust has cooled.
Arrange sliced pears atop filling. Top with sliced almonds and turbinado sugar for extra crunch.
Bartlett Pears
These pears come in two colors: greenish-yellow and red. They’re in season from late August through January.
Bartlett pears are probably the most popular or well known of the pear varieties because they’re so versatile. Eat them raw as a snack, slice them into salads, serve them with a cheese board, or bake them into sweet treats. They’re also great for canning and poaching.
Interested in learning about other pears? I use Comice in this pear rice pudding and Starkrimson in this no bake pear cheesecake.
Almond Frangipane Filling
Frangipane is a creamy custard filling traditionally made with almonds.
It is a combination of ground almonds mixed with butter, sugar, and eggs. This frangipane filling is made with almond paste.
In a food processor, blend almond paste with sugar, butter, eggs, baking powder, and a small amount of flour until smooth and creamy.
What is almond paste?
Almond paste is a thick, clay-like dough made from processing together almonds and sugar.
It is sold and packaged in tubes or cans. Find it in the baking aisle of the grocery store alongside canned pie fillings and bags of nuts.
Is almond paste the same as marzipan?
NO! They are two different products. Marzipan is almond candy with the texture of soft taffy. It is much softer than almond paste and has a much higher concentration of sugar.
During baking, the shortbread crust will cook up firm and crunchy.
The frangipane filling will caramelize into the deep golden brown photographed above. The sliced pears will soften, making them creamy and sweet.
Sliced almonds and turbinado sugar add another textural variety.
Serving Suggestions
Cool tart for at least 20 minutes before slicing. The filling needs time to regain its structure.
Divide into 8 portions. Slice the tart in such a way to give each portion an equal amount of pear and frangipane filling.
As shown in the images below, one side of the slice shows the shingled pears while the other side shows the creamy frangipane.
How to store leftovers?
Pear Frangipane Tart can be left out at room temperature for up to a day.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Serve chilled, room temperature, or warmed up.
Pear Frangipane Tart
Ingredients
Tart Shell:
- 14 Tablespoon (198 g) unsalted butter,, softened
- ½ cup (58 g ) powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3 cups (390 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Frangipane Filling:
- ⅓ cup (3.5 oz/99 g) almond paste
- 3 Tablespoon ( 38 g) granulated sugar
- 6 Tablespoon (85 g) unsalted butter, , softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoon (16 g ) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Topping:
- 3 ripe medium-sized Bartlett pears*
- sliced almonds,, to top
- turbinado sugar,, to top
Instructions
Tart Shell:
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Scrape down bowl as needed to ensure thorough mixing. Add egg and egg yolk. Mix until well incorporated.
- Add flour and salt. Mix on low speed just until there are no longer any dry streaks of flour. Gently press dough together. Divide in two equal parts and pat into flat discs. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- When ready to roll out dough, place one disc on a lightly floured work surface (or between two sheets of wax paper). Roll into a circle about 11-inches in diameter.
- Gently transfer dough to 9.5-inch or 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Use your fingers to press dough against the sides and bottom of pan. Trim the overhang dough along the edges. Dock the bottom of tart. Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge while oven preheats.
- Preheat oven to 375°25F.
- Remove plastic wrap from tart. Line tart with parchment paper or aluminum foil and add pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove parchment paper and pie weights. Bake for another 6 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool while you prepare filling.
Frangipane Filling:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a food processor fitted with blade attachment, combine almond paste, sugar, and butter. Pulse until well blended. Scrape down bowl as needed.
- Add eggs one a time, pulsing until incorporated. Add vanilla, salt, baking powder, and flour. Process until mixture is smooth.
Assembly and Topping:
- Pour filling into cooled tart shell.
- Peel pears. Slice in half lengthwise and core. Slice pear halves crosswise into thin slices. Slightly fan pear slices apart. Use a mini offset spatula to carefully transfer fanned pears atop the filled tart shell. Repeat with remaining pear halves, spacing pears equally apart in tart shell.
- Sprinkle sliced almonds and turbinado sugar, as desired. Bake for 38-40 minutes until the filling center no longer jiggles. Allow tart to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing. If desired, dust tart with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Be sure to use ripe pears. Otherwise, the pears will lack flavor. If pears are extra juicy, place sliced pears on paper towel lined plate before transferring to filled tart shell.
- Tart can be left at room temperature for up to one day. Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Can I make the almond paste?
It is not available at the local store.
Yes, you can make your own almond paste. King Arthur Baking has a great DIY almond paste recipe.
I don’t own a food processor. Can I use a stand mixer for part 2 of frangipane filling? Will the results be just as good?
For best results, I recommend using a food process or an immersion blender. The blade helps to create a well combined homogenous filling. The texture wont be smooth with a stand mixer. Flavor will be the same, but the resulting texture will be different. The blade from a food processor breaks down the ingredients quickly without adding too much air. Using an paddle or whisk on a stand mixer will incorporate more air which may cause the filling to puff up during baking.
Can this be made a day ahead and if so how should I store it, just room temp?
Yes, you can bake the tart the day before serving. Cool to room temperature. Then, store in a covered container in a cool place (ideally away from direct sunlight or heat) overnight. It will be fine at room temperature for 24 hours or so. Any longer, I would keep in an covered container in the fridge. Allow to warm to room temperature before serving.
That’s awesome I love it it’s perfect for me as I love frangipane tart and almonds either ground, flaked on whole the sugar paste pie crust pastry is absolutely beautiful I’m impressed and I hope to make this one soon. This pear frangipane tart looks scrumptious ? many thanks for sharing this recipe!
I was very excited to make this recipe. I made the crust earlier today and I even weighed out all of the ingredients and I followed the crust recipe exactly, but it is just a bunch of big, chunky crumbs and will not hold together? I kept looking at the ingredients to see if I’d missed something, but no, I followed the recipe exactly. Were we supposed to maybe put a few tablespoons of ice water into the dough to soften it a bit further? I’ve just used my tamper to fit it into the flutes of my tart pan and I am worrying that it will simply be a crumbly mess. This dough is way too dry. At this point, I don’t have enough ingredients to re-make the dough or even to use a different recipe. Hoping it turns out okay. Is this how it’s supposed to be? I’m excited for the frangipane and everything else, so I will continue forward with crossed fingers. I think something was missing in the ingredient list–perhaps there wasn’t enough butter?
Hi, did you use a stand mixer with paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer with beaters? The stand mixer will automatically mix the dough together. An electric hand mixer will cause the dough to be crumbly. Either way, press the dough together (if needed, knead smooth). It will come together to create a smooth, cohesive dough.
The recipe ingredients and amounts are correct. This recipe does not include water or any liquid asides from the egg and egg yolk. The dough may seem dry, but it will soften and smooth out if you knead or press the dough together.
I will post a follow up tutorial with step by step photos showing how the dough is supposed to look early next week.
Can you sub the flour in the filling for almond flour? Need to make it gluten free with a gluten free crust
I have not tested this with recipe with almond flour. I suggest using a gluten-free 1-to-1 all-purpose flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill GF 1to1 baking flour, Cup4Cup GF Multipurpose Flour, or King Arthur Flour GF Measure for Measure Flour) for best results.
Lovely tarts, easy to make including the almond paste. Makes 12 little tarts.
Hi there,
Question tho – which rack do you put your tarts for baking?
Thanks
Unless specified, I bake everything in the center, middle rack of the oven.
Very strange to have a double recipe for the crust. Also the crust dough is too dry if following the recipe.
The dough recipe uses one egg and one egg yolk. It is difficult to divide the egg. However, the second dough can stored in the freezer and used layer. Sorry to hear your crust dough was dry. I have using this recipe for several years with much success.
I had the same problem. My crust was a bunch of chunky crumbs even though I followed the recipe exactly and weighed out all of the ingredients too.
Hello! You mention dividing the dough into two, but only using one half. Do we use all of the almond filling for one half of the dough? Thanks so much, Evie
Yes, use all the filling for half portion of dough.