Delicious French Almond Pear Tart Recipe

My French Foray Continues! A french almond flan is a delicious little tart, filled with frangipane and studded with fruit. Frangipane is an almond pastry cream which is thick and creamy and perfect when peared (hehe) with pears and equally delicious with apples.

When it comes to classic French desserts, one dish that always stands out is the delicate and delicious Almond Pear Tart. Made with a buttery crust, a rich almond cream filling, and juicy pears on top, this tart is the perfect combination of sweet and nutty flavors.

Pear Tart Recipe

Making an Almond Pear Tart may seem daunting, but with the right recipe and technique, it can be easy to achieve a professional-looking and delicious dessert. This recipe is a tried-and-true method, passed down through generations of French bakers. The key is to use the freshest ingredients and to take the time to make the crust and the almond cream from scratch. 

Also Read: Pecan Pie Recipe

This recipe is perfect for a special occasion or as a dessert to impress your guests, but it's also simple enough to make for an intimate dinner at home. The combination of buttery crust, rich almond cream, and sweet pears, makes this Tart a perfect balance of texture and flavor. So preheat your oven, roll up your sleeves and let's get started on making this classic French Almond Pear Tart recipe."

Sweet Pastry Crust Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Frangipane Recipe Ingredients:

• 6 ounces (170 g) almond paste (marzipan**)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons flour
• 3 ounces (85 g) butter, salted or unsalted, cubed, at room temperature
• 1 large egg, plus one egg white, at room temperature
• a few drops almond extract, optional
• 1 1/2 teaspoons rum, Calvados, or kirsch
• 3 poached pears, cored, drained and blotted dry, then cut into 1/2-inch (2 cm) slices (alternatively, you may use canned pears, blotted dry)

How to Make Pear Tart Recipe

1. In a separate bowl, sift or whisk together the flour and salt. Place the butter in your mixer and beat until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten egg, beating just until incorporated. Add the flour mixture all at once and mix just until it forms a ball.

Also Try: Panna Cotta Recipe

(Do not over mix or the pastry will be hard when baked.) Flatten the pastry into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes or until firm.

2. Have ready an 8 – 9 inch (20 – 23 cm) tart pan with removable bottom. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into an 11 – 12 inch (28 – 30 cm) circle that is about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards to get uniform thickness).

To make sure it is the right size, take your tart pan, flip it over, and place it on the rolled out pastry. The pastry should be about an inch larger than pan. When the pastry is rolled to the desired size, lightly roll pastry around your rolling pin, dusting off any excess flour as you roll.

Unroll onto top of tart pan. Never pull pastry or you will get shrinkage (shrinkage is caused by too much pulling of the pastry when placing it in the pan). Gently lay in pan and with a small floured piece of pastry, lightly press pastry into bottom and up sides of pan. Roll your rolling pin over top of pan to get rid of excess pastry.

Prick bottom of dough (this will prevent the dough from puffing up as it bakes). Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to chill the butter and to rest the gluten.

3. Preheat the oven to 375F (180C). Set the pre-baked tart shell on a baking sheet.

4. In a stand mixer, or by hand, beat the almond paste with the sugar and flour, until smooth. Some almond pastes may be drier than others. If yours is dry, just mix until the almond paste is finely-broken up.

3. Gradually beat in the butter, until smooth, then beat in the egg and the egg white, the almond extract, and the liquor.

4. Spread the almond filling evenly over the tart shell

5. Fan the pears out evenly over the almond filling, then press them in slightly. *you can sprinkle sliced almonds around your pie if desired

6. Bake the tart for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until the almond filling between the pears has browned.

7. Cool slightly before serving, or serve at room temperature. Glaze, as desired

Also Try: French Almond Flans and Pithiviers Recipe

**You may use marzipan if you have nothing else, but almond paste is recommended for this recipe since it contains less sugar than marzipan (traditionally used for candy-making) and produces a more traditional pie.