Frangipane Pear Tart

Spiced poached pears nestle in a buttery almond frangipane and a from-scratch sweet pastry shell in this elegant French-inspired tart.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins
• Calories: 613 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 egg white
• 4 cups water
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 5 pods cardamom, crushed
• 4 Conference pears - peeled, halved, and cored
• 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.66666668653488 cup white sugar
• 0.5 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 0.5 cup confectioners' sugar
• 0.33333334326744 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 0.75 cup ground blanched almonds

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Step 2

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 3

Combine water, 1 cup white sugar, honey, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, and cardamom in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add pears; reduce heat and simmer until pears are translucent or easily pierced with a knife, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Step 4

Grease a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press dough evenly into the pan. Freeze for 30 minutes. Reserve leftover dough for patching cracks.

Step 5

Grease the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil with butter; place butter-side down over the pastry. Transfer tart pan to a baking sheet.

Step 6

Bake in the preheated oven, using leftover dough to patch any cracks, until dough looks dry and light brown, about 20 minutes. Peel off aluminum foil; let pastry cool.

Step 7

Combine 2/3 cup white sugar and 1/3 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in ground almonds. Add egg, egg yolk, 2 teaspoons flour, and cornstarch; beat until frangipane is smooth. Beat in almond extract and vanilla extract.

Step 8

Spread frangipane evenly over the pastry. Drain pear halves and dry with paper towels. Cut lengthwise into even slices. Place 1 pear half on a spatula and gently fan out slices. Place on frangipane. Repeat with remaining pear halves.

Step 9

Bake in the preheated oven until frangipane is firm to the touch, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Step 10

Combine 1 1/2 cup flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut in 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter until mixture is crumbly. Mix in egg yolk until dough sticks together in large clumps.