Frangipane was one of those things (like croissant) that I’d been intimidated by and had avoided making for years. This recipe was simple and satisfying, providing the easy entry I needed. You can use apples or other firm fruits in place of the pears – I’m planning to try it with apricots soon…
Pear and Hazelnut Frangipane Tart
Servings: 16
Equipment
- 9" removable bottom tart pan
- Food processor
- hand mixer
Ingredients
Tart Shell
- 3½ oz unsalted butter melted or browned
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¼ tsp vanilla
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp flour
- pinch salt
Frangipane
- 1 cup hazelnuts toasted
- ½ cup sugar divided in two ¼ cup portions
- ¼ cup flour
- 3 oz butter (6 tbsp) softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 3 firm-ripe Bosc or Anjou pears peeled, cored, halved and sliced widthwise into ¼" slices
- ¼ cup apricot preserves heated and strained
Instructions
Make Tart Shell
- Preheat oven to 350°. Place tart pan onto a sheet pan to catch any butter that drips during baking.
- Combine dry ingredients well, stirring with a fork or spatula. Add melted butter and vanilla and continue mixing well until dough is moist and uniform and no dry flour remains.
- Press dough into tart pan, starting with sides and then pressing into base. Dock base with fork to prevent over puffing. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Leave on baking sheet and allow to cool slightly while preparing frangipane and pears. Leave oven at 350°.
Prepare Frangipane
- Pulse toasted hazelnuts and ¼ cup sugar together in food processor until finely ground; add flour and pulse to combine.
- Beat together butter and remaining ¼ cup sugar with hand mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add extracts and beat to combine. Reduce speed to low, add nut mixture and beat just until combined.
- Spread frangipane in tart shell and top with prepared pears, maintaining the pears shape and fanning slices slightly. Bake until pears are golden and frangipane is puffed and golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Brush pears with apricot preserves and cool tart completely in pan on rack. Remove side of pan and slide tart off base onto serving plate. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.