This easy pear frangipane tart is made with a press-in pastry crust so you don't need to chill or roll out the dough. And fresh pear slices become deliciously tender in the oven, just like apple frangipane tart. Best of all, the frangipane almond cream filling only takes about 10 minutes to make!
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Pear frangipane tart is a French tart known as Tarte Bourdaloue. It's made from a sweet and crumbly tart dough covered with a nutty almond cream called frangipane. The tart is topped with juicy pears which soften as they bake, becoming deliciously sweet and tender.
But instead of making the traditional sweet shortcrust pastry (also known as pâte sucrée in French) we’re going to use my super easy press-in crust. No chilling, rolling, or trimming the dough needed!
This pear frangipane tart is great for Fall baking when pears are in season, to get them at the peak of their delicious flavor. I love to serve this tart during the Fall and Winter alongside oven roasted root vegetables, mashed potatoes with brown vegan gravy, and vegetarian chili with beans.
Growing up in Germany, we would see this classic French pear frangipane tart in Germany, especially in the glass display cases of Konditorei and cafes.
And I love recreating desserts from my childhood in Germany, since it's a heck of a lot cheaper than flying back there to visit!
Poached versus Fresh Pears
Some recipes for pear frangipane tart call for poaching the pears first. And while I absolutely love poached pears, I prefer to add thinly sliced raw pears on this tart. It's not only easier, but it also saves time (so you can eat your tart faster!)
Ingredients and Notes
- All purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Ground cinnamon - Optional to add a little extra warm spiced flavor to your tart crust. You could substitute other baking spices like nutmeg, allspice, or cardamom.
- Salt - In baking recipes, I recommend using table salt or fine sea salt, not kosher salt.
- Unsalted butter - By using unsalted butter then adding salt, we can control the exact amount of salt that goes into our tart.
- Eggs - Allow your eggs to warm to room temperature so they incorporate into the frangipane better.
- Almond extract - I don't recommend substituting vanilla extract, because then your frangipane won't taste nearly as nutty.
- Blanched almond flour - I don't recommending substituting almond meal, which can make your tart more gritty and dry.
- Pears - Pick pears that are ripe but not mushy so they're sweet but won't fall apart. Bartlett, Bosc, and Anjou pears are all great for baking.
How to Make this Recipe
Below is the process to make this recipe. For the full step-by-step directions and ingredient quantities, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
2. Add the melted butter and mix with a fork until it forms a crumbly mixture.
3. Press the dough into a greased 10-inch or 11-inch tart pan.
5. Beat the butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy.
7. Add the almond flour and mix with a large spoon or silicone spatula until it’s combined. Set aside.
9. Spread the frangipane on the cooled crust.
11. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the frangipane is golden.
4. Par-bake the crust for 10 minutes at 350°F. Set aside to cool.
6. Mix in the salt, eggs, and almond extract.
8. Wash & dry the pears. Cut them in half. Slice them as thinly as possible, and discard the cores.
10. Arrange the pear slices on top of the frangipane.
12. Allow the tart to cool for a few minutes, then slice and enjoy!
Carissa's Kitchen Tip
If you're making a flower design with your pear slices, try to use slices that are all roughly the same size. This will make your tart more professional-looking.
And save any excess pear slices for snacking!
Recipe Tips
- Use blanched almond flour, which is not the same as almond meal. Almond meal contains the almond skins so it’s a little more coarse, and can make your frangipane gritty. I have tried this tart with almond meal before, and while it's still tasty, the tart ends up a little too dry.
- Toss your sliced pears in a little lemon juice to prevent them from browning as much. Fruit like apples and pears naturally turn brown when exposed to oxygen, so if you don't like that look, a little lemon juice will reduce the amount of oxidation.
Variations
- Powdered Sugar: You can top your pear frangipane tart with a light dusting of powdered sugar. However, I don’t like how powdered sugar hides the natural beauty of the sliced pears.
- Apricot Jam: Like many French and German pastries, you can brush apricot jam thinned with a little water on top to add a glossy appearance.
- More Toppings: This tart tastes great on its own! Or serve slices with ice cream, whipped cream, vanilla sauce, or homemade vegan caramel sauce.
- Other Fruit: Instead of pears, you can use apples to make apple frangipane tart, or even apricots or plums.
Storage
Wrap the whole tart in plastic wrap or store individual slices in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
This sweet tart honestly tastes really great as leftovers! The pears get a little softer, but the tart itself stays tender without drying out.
Frequently Asked Questions
What pears should I use?
Some of the best pears for baking include Bartlett, Williams, Bosc, and Anjou pears because they hold their shape. Make sure you use pears that are ripe but still firm. If they’re overripe or soft, they’ll become mushy in the oven.
How do I prevent a soggy tart crust?
By par-baking the crust, we are pre baking it just a little in the oven. This allows the crust to dry out, so it doesn’t get soggy once we add the creamy frangipane filling.
Do I need to peel my pears?
I personally prefer not to peel my pears when making a pear frangipane tart. I like the beautiful color contrast between the peel and the fruit. The skin also helps the pear slices hold their shape. But feel free to peel yours, if you like!
Related Recipes
Looking for more delicious fruit pastry recipes like this pear almond tart? Try these:
Pear Frangipane Tart
Ingredients
CRUST
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt (use table salt or fine sea salt)
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
FRANGIPANE
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt (use table salt or fine sea salt)
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1½ cups blanched almond flour (don't use almond meal)
TOPPING
- 1 lb pears (2 large or 3 medium pears) use a variety ideal for baking such as Bartlett, Bosc, and Anjou
Instructions
Make and Par-Bake the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch or 11-inch tart pan or shallow pie tin with butter.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the all purpose flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt together.Add the melted butter and mix with a fork until it forms a crumbly mixture.
- Pour half of the crumbly dough into the greased tart pan. Gently press the dough around the edges, up the walls of the tart pan with your fingers. Pour the rest of the dough into the pan and press the dough in an even layer. Poke the dough a dozen times with a fork.
- Bake for 10 minutes. (It won't look much different at this point.) Remove the tart from the oven and set aside to cool while you make the filling.
Prepare the Frangipane Filling
- In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until it’s light and fluffy, after 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the salt, eggs, and almond extract. Mix again until it’s combined, after 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the almond flour and mix with a large spoon or silicone spatula until it’s combined. Set aside.
Prepare the Pears & Bake the Tart
- Wash & dry the pears. Cut them in half. Slice them as thinly as possible, and discard the cores.
- Spread the frangipane in an even layer in the cooled crust.
- Arrange the pear slices on top of the frangipane.Flower design: Place one slice on the outer edge so the peel is facing up. Place the next slice overlapping half the first slice. Continue layering slices in a spiral towards the center.Fan design: Fan out about 5 slices and place them on the frangipane on their side. Continue adding groups of apple slices facing different directions.Dump method: You can just dump the sliced apples onto the frangipane, making sure it's in a relatively even layer.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the frangipane has puffed up & is golden. Allow the tart to cool for a few minutes, then slice and enjoy!!
Notes
- Use blanched almond flour, which is not the same as almond meal. Almond meal contains the almond skins so it’s a little more coarse, and can make your frangipane gritty. I have tried this tart with almond meal before, and while it's still tasty, the tart ends up a little too dry.
- Make sure your pears are sliced as evenly as possible, so they all bake evenly on the tart. You can use a mandolin or a sharp kitchen knife to slice them.
- Toss your sliced pears in a little lemon juice to prevent them from browning. Fruit like apples and pears naturally turn brown when exposed to oxygen, so if you don't like that look, a little lemon juice will reduce the amount of oxidation.
- For decoration and added sweetness, you can top your pear frangipane tart with a light dusting of powdered sugar, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, vanilla sauce, or caramel sauce.
- Store leftover tart in the fridge for up to 4 days, wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
Delina
Made this for work potluck, even my annoying coworkers loved it lol. Totally recommend this!!
Carissa Erzen
Hahaha! Gotta feed everybody!
Lina
Omg this is a work of art!!