This Pear Apple Frangipane Tart is made with a sweet, flaky, and buttery pastry shell, filled with sweet almond frangipane cream, and topped with pear and apple slices. It’s a beautiful showstopper dessert and it really does taste as good as it looks.
I love making fruit tarts at home to share with friends and family and this one is absolutely my favorite because it is filled with frangipane aka almond cream. I just love all things with frangipane! hehe.. For the fruits, I use red delicious apples and asian pears, they’re in season now! Then, the thinly cut apples and pears are beautifully arranged on top of the frangipane filling like a flower. It’s the kind of dessert that looks so elegant and fancy but it’s easier to make than you might think. Does it taste good? It’s wonderful! Everyone will love this Pear Apple Frangipane Tart!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS PEAR APPLE FRANGIPANE TART?
- Delightfully fancy and beautiful!
- The pastry shell is perfectly sweet, buttery, and flaky.
- The frangipane filling is so easy to make and comes together in a matter of minutes.
- I use apples and pears, but you can substitute them with other fruits. Stone fruits like apricots and peaches are also my favorite!
- You can blind-bake the pastry shell ahead of time, so when you’re ready to bake the tart, you’ll just need to fill it with frangipane and arrange the fruit.
- It’s an easy yet impressive dessert everyone will love!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED & NOTES
Flour – This recipe uses all-purpose flour for the shell and also a little for the frangipane filling.
Ground Almond – You can’t make frangipane filling without ground almond. You can use either almond flour or almond meal, both work for this recipe.
Sugar – Confectioners’ sugar aka powdered sugar is all you need!
Eggs – You’ll need 4 large eggs to make this tart. Make sure to check the egg size, you’ll need large eggs. Trust me, egg size matters!
Salt – This will do the job of balancing out the flavor.
Vanilla – Just a lil bit of vanilla extract to enhance the flavor!
Cinnamon – This is optional, but it’s fall season now! I love adding a little cinnamon to the frangipane cream and it tastes so good! Hits different!
Butter – You can use salted or unsalted butter, but I highly recommend using unsalted butter. If you prefer salted butter, skip the salt!
Water – Need some water to hold together the pastry shell dough! Also, make sure the water is cold straight from the fridge.
Fruits – I use red delicious apples and asian pears to make this tart, but feel free to use any type of apples and pears. Stone fruits like peaches and apricots are also nice!
EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED
- 9.5-inch tart pan
- Rolling pin
- Food processor or pastry cutter
- Large mixing bowls
- Saucepan
- Medium mixing bowl
- Spatula
- Rubber spatula
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
(Be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions)
STEP 1 – Prepare the Pastry Shell
Cut the cold butter into large cubes, and set aside. Combine all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt together in a food processor. Process for 30 seconds to combine. Add in the cold butter and pulse until the butter is cut into the flour and you no longer see large pieces. The mixture will be clumpy, resembling a coarse meal.
Then, gradually add the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of cold water while pulsing. Pulse the mixture until the dough comes together, forming large clumps. If the dough doesn’t come together, you can add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of cold water. Make sure the dough is not too wet. It should hold together easily in a ball form but not sticky, and If there is still some flour that hasn’t been fully incorporated, that’s okay.
Pour the dough onto your work surface, and knead the dough a few times just until it forms a smooth ball. Flatten the dough into a disc, about an inch thick, and wrap it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate it well chilled for at least 1 hour. This can be made ahead, 2 days in advance, or freeze for up to a month.
*If you make this with a pastry cutter or your hand hand.
Cut the cold butter into large cubes, and set aside. Combine all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl then add the butter cubes and gently toss the butter cubes through the flour mixture until each piece is well coated. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal (pea-sized chunks). Keep tossing the butter through the flour mixture as you work.
Whisk the egg yolk, 2 tablespoons of cold water, and vanilla extract together, then sprinkle the mixture into the flour and butter. Mix in well using a stiff spatula or your hand until the dough comes together. If the dough doesn’t come together, you can add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of cold water. Make sure the dough is not too wet. It should hold together easily in a ball form but not sticky, and If there is still some flour that hasn’t been fully incorporated, that’s ok.
Pour the dough onto your work surface, and knead the dough a few times just until it forms a smooth ball. Flatten the dough into a disc, about an inch thick, and wrap it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate it well chilled for at least 1 hour. This can be made ahead, 2 days in advance, or freeze for up to a month.
STEP 2 – Blind Bake the Tart Shell
Place your chilled dough on a lightly floured surface. Let the dough sit for about 10 to 20 minutes until pliable. Gently smack the dough with the rolling pin so it loosens up, then roll out the dough to a rough 12-inch circle, or about 1/6 inch (4 mm) thick. Fold the dough over the pin to lift it, then quickly ease the dough into a 9.5-inch tart pan. Tips: Always roll away from you and turn the dough. Turning the dough ensures that it is not stuck to the counter.
Use the tips of your fingers, and press the dough against the sides and bottom of the pan evenly. Trim the excess dough off the top of the pan, then poke the bottom of the tart shell with a fork. Place the tart shell into the freezer for about an hour. If storing for more than an hour, wrap well with plastic wrap.
Now we blind bake the pastry shell. You can skip this blind bake step, but I highly recommend to blind bake your tart shell to avoid soggy bottom. Preheat the oven to 350F F. Crush parchment paper or aluminum foil, reopen it, and press it into the chilled tart shell, covering the edges. Fill the shell with pie weights, beans, or rice, then blind bake the tart shell for 15 minutes until the crust is set and pale brown. Remove the tart shell from the oven, then carefully pull the parchment away and let it cool to room temperature.
STEP 3 – Make the Frangipane Filling
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl using a handheld mixer, cream room temperature butter, and sugar together on medium speed until pale, for about 4 minutes.
Then, reduce the mixer speed to medium-low speed and add in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the almond flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and cinnamon. Mix until well combined.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake the tart. Frangipane can last for up to 7 days in the fridge.
STEP 4 – Assemble and Bake
Prepare a microwave-safe bowl half filled with water and juice of 1 lemon, set aside. Clean and cut the apples and pears in half from the stalk down, then remove the core using an apple core remover or small knives. Cut the apples and pears into paper-thin slices, then right away place the slices in the prepared lemon water so that they won’t change color. Microwave for about 2 minutes to make them softer and easy to roll.
You can also simmer the apple and pear slices with the lemon water in a saucepan. Simmer on medium heat for about 3 minutes just until soft and easy to bend without breaking.
Preheat the oven to 450F. Pour the frangipane filling into the tart shell and spread out evenly, then arrange the apple and pear slices starting from the outside. Place the slices next to one another, and overlap the slices by 1/3 all the way around the tart. Spiralling until the tart is full. Bake the tart for about 35 to 40 minutes until the filling has set and the shell is golden brown.
Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes as you prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan, combine water and apricot jam, then warm the mixture until the jam has melted. By using a pastry brush, immediately brush the warm glaze over the top of the tart to give it a beautiful shine. Allow the tart to cool for an hour or longer to be fully set before removing from the pan.
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST PEAR APPLE FRANGIPANE TART
- When you make the tart shell, make sure the ingredients are cold and keep the dough cold in every step, to prevent melty butter.
- Blind bake the pastry shell. You can skip this and fill it with the frangipane right away, but I highly recommend blind baking it to avoid a soggy bottom.
- Don’t overwork the pastry dough.
- Be patient, and don’t skip the suggested rest times.
HOW TO SERVE AND STORE THIS PEAR APPLE FRANGIPANE TART
I highly recommend enjoying this Pear Apple Frangipane Tart fresh from the oven, or at least on the same day you bake them. It has the best texture and flavor on the first day because the crust will soften after a few days.
If you want to keep it for later, this Pear Apple Frangipane Tart should be kept in an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to 3 days
I don’t recommend freezing the fully baked tart as it will change the final texture, but you can freeze it for up to 2 months. Wrap individual slices with layers of plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container or a zip-top bag.
Pear Apple Frangipane Tart
Sweet, flaky, and buttery pastry shell, filled with sweet almond frangipane cream and topped with pear and apple slices. It's a beautiful showstopper dessert and it really does taste as good as it looks.
Ingredients
Pâte Sucrée (Sweet Shortcrust Pastry)
- 250g (2 cups, spoon and leveled) all-purpose flour
- 63g (1/2 cup) confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 170g (1 + 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons ice cold water
Frangipane Filling:
- 113g (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 125g (1 cup) confectioners' sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 120g (1 + 1/4 cups) almond flour
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
Topping
- 3 medium red apples
- 2 medium asian pears
Simple Syrup Glaze
- 1/3 cup apricot jam
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
Prepare the Pâte Sucrée (Sweet Shortcrust Pastry):
Cut the cold butter into large cubes, and set aside. Combine all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt together in a food processor. Process for 30 seconds to combine. Add in the cold butter and pulse until the butter is cut into the flour and you no longer see large pieces. The mixture will be clumpy, resembling a coarse meal.
Then, gradually add the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of cold water while pulsing. Pulse the mixture until the dough comes together, forming large clumps. If the dough doesn't come together, you can add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of cold water. Make sure the dough is not too wet. It should hold together easily in a ball form but not sticky, and If there is still some flour that hasn't been fully incorporated, that's okay.
Pour the dough onto your work surface, and knead the dough a few times just until it forms a smooth ball. Flatten the dough into a disc, about an inch thick, and wrap it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate it well chilled for at least 1 hour. This can be made ahead, 2 days in advance, or freeze for up to a month.
* If you make this with a pastry cutter or your hand hand.
Cut the cold butter into large cubes, and set aside. Combine all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl then add the butter cubes and gently toss the butter cubes through the flour mixture until each piece is well coated. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal (pea-sized chunks). Keep tossing the butter through the flour mixture as you work.
Whisk the egg yolk, 2 tablespoons of cold water, and vanilla extract together, then sprinkle the mixture into the flour and butter. Mix in well using a stiff spatula or your hand until the dough comes together. If the dough doesn't come together, you can add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of cold water. Make sure the dough is not too wet. It should hold together easily in a ball form but not sticky, and If there is still some flour that hasn't been fully incorporated, that's ok.
Pour the dough onto your work surface, and knead the dough a few times just until it forms a smooth ball. Flatten the dough into a disc, about an inch thick, and wrap it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate it well chilled for at least 1 hour. This can be made ahead, 2 days in advance, or freeze for up to a month.
Blind Bake the Tart Shell:
Place your chilled dough on a lightly floured surface. Let the dough sit for about 10 to 20 minutes until pliable. Gently smack the dough with the rolling pin so it loosens up, then roll out the dough to a rough 12-inch circle, or about 1/6 inch (4 mm) thick. Fold the dough over the pin to lift it, then quickly ease the dough into a 9.5-inch tart pan. Tips: Always roll away from you and turn the dough. Turning the dough ensures that it is not stuck to the counter.
Use the tips of your fingers, and press the dough against the sides and bottom of the pan evenly. Trim the excess dough off the top of the pan, then poke the bottom of the tart shell with a fork. Place the tart shell into the freezer for about an hour. If storing for more than an hour, wrap well with plastic wrap.
Now we blind bake the pastry shell. You can skip this blind bake step, but I highly recommend to blind bake your tart shell to avoid soggy bottom. Preheat the oven to 350F F. Crush parchment paper or aluminum foil, reopen it, and press it into the chilled tart shell, covering the edges. Fill the shell with pie weights, beans, or rice, then blind bake the tart shell for 15 minutes until the crust is set and pale brown. Remove the tart shell from the oven, then carefully pull the parchment away and let it cool to room temperature.
Make the Frangipane Filling:
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl using a handheld mixer, cream room temperature butter, and sugar together on medium speed until pale, for about 4 minutes.
Then, reduce the mixer speed to medium-low speed and add in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the almond flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and cinnamon. Mix until well combined.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you're ready to bake the tart. Frangipane can last for up to 7 days in the fridge.
Assemble and Bake:
Prepare a microwave-safe bowl half filled with water and juice of 1 lemon, set aside. Clean and cut the apples and pears in half from the stalk down, then remove the core using an apple core remover or small knives. Cut the apples and pears into paper-thin slices, then right away place the slices in the prepared lemon water so that they won't change color. Microwave for about 2 minutes to make them softer and easy to roll.
You can also simmer the apple and pear slices with the lemon water in a saucepan. Simmer on medium heat for about 3 minutes just until soft and easy to bend without breaking.
Preheat the oven to 450F. Pour the frangipane filling into the tart shell and spread out evenly, then arrange the apple and pear slices starting from the outside. Place the slices next to one another, and overlap the slices by 1/3 all the way around the tart. Spiralling until the tart is full. Bake the tart for about 35 to 40 minutes until the filling has set and the shell is golden brown.
Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes as you prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan, combine water and apricot jam, then warm the mixture until the jam has melted. By using a pastry brush, immediately brush the warm glaze over the top of the tart to give it a beautiful shine. Allow the tart to cool for an hour or longer to be fully set before removing from the pan.
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Happy Baking!
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