Pear and Almond Tart
Pear Almond Tart
A crisp sweet tart shell filled with almond frangipane and tender poached pears arranged in overlapping fans.
This pear and almond tart is a classic bakery-style dessert built from three simple parts: a sweet pastry shell, a soft almond filling, and pears cooked just until tender. The pears bake a second time on top of the frangipane, so they should be ripe enough to smell fragrant but still firm enough to hold their shape.
The crust is chilled hard before baking, which helps the sides stay neat and gives the finished tart a crisp base. Fully baking the shell before adding the filling also keeps the bottom from turning pale or soft under the fruit.
Frangipane is forgiving as long as the butter is soft and the almonds are ground finely. It should spread like thick frosting in the shell, then puff gently around the pear slices as it bakes into a moist, marzipan-like layer.
Serve the tart at room temperature, when the almond flavor is clear and the fruit slices cleanly. A light dusting of powdered sugar is enough, though a small spoonful of lightly whipped cream works well for a dinner-party plate.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Make the shell: pulse the flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined.
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2
Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture holds pea-size pieces. Add the egg yolk and pulse until damp clumps form, then press the dough together into a disk.
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3
Roll the dough into a 12-inch round, fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, trim the edge, and prick the base with a fork. Freeze the lined pan for at least 30 minutes.
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4
Heat the oven to 375°F. Line the frozen shell snugly with buttered foil and bake on a sheet pan for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake 8 to 10 minutes more, until golden. Cool the shell and reduce the oven to 350°F.
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5
While the shell chills or bakes, bring the poaching water, poaching sugar, and lemon juice to a simmer in a wide saucepan. Add the peeled pears and cook gently for 18 to 22 minutes, turning occasionally, until a knife slides in with slight resistance.
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6
Lift the pears from the syrup and cool them. Halve them lengthwise, remove the cores, and cut each half crosswise into thin slices while keeping each half grouped together.
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7
Make the filling: grind the almonds with the filling flour in a food processor until fine. Add the filling sugar, soft butter, egg, and almond extract, then blend until smooth and thick.
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8
Spread the almond filling evenly in the cooled tart shell. Slide a spatula under each sliced pear half, fan the slices slightly, and arrange the pears over the filling with the narrow ends facing the center.
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9
Bake the tart at 350°F for 45 to 55 minutes, until the filling is puffed, deeply golden at the edges, and set in the center.
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10
Cool the tart in the pan for at least 45 minutes before unmolding. Dust lightly with powdered sugar just before slicing, if desired.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour:1 1/2 cups
- Confectioners' Sugar:1/2 cup
- Fine Salt:1/4 tsp
- Cold Unsalted Butter, cut into small pieces:9 tbsp
- Large Egg Yolk:1
- Water For Poaching Pears:4 cups
- Granulated Sugar For Poaching Syrup:1 cup
- Fresh Lemon Juice:1 1/2 tbsp
- Firm Ripe Bosc Pears, peeled:3
- Blanched Slivered Almonds:2/3 cup
- All-Purpose Flour For Filling:1 tbsp
- Granulated Sugar For Filling:7 tbsp
- Soft Unsalted Butter For Filling:6 tbsp
- Large Egg:1
- Almond Extract:1/2 tsp
- Powdered Sugar For Serving:as needed
Tips & Notes
- Choose pears that are fragrant but still firm; very soft pears can collapse during poaching and slicing.
- If the dough tears while lining the pan, patch it with scraps and press the seams firmly before freezing.
- The pears and tart shell can be prepared a day ahead. Keep the shell covered at room temperature and refrigerate the pears in their syrup.
- For a slightly deeper flavor, replace the almond extract with 2 teaspoons of brandy in the filling.
