Name: Pear Frangipane Tart
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 2 ½ pears (5 halves); 1 quart water; 1 cup sugar; 1/2 cup almond flour; 1/2 cup plus 2 TBS sugar; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed and room temperature; 2 eggs; 2 Tablespoons flour; 1 pre-made pie crust

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This pear frangipane tart is a classic French pastry filled with frangipane (almond cream) and poached pears.

Overhead shot of pear and frangipane tart showing half of the tart.

This pear frangipane tart is made with soft poached pears over a rich almond cream filling in a tart shell. You'll also see it called a pear and almond tart, a French pear tart, or by its classic French name, tarte bourdaloue. It looks fancy, but it comes together in a few straightforward steps.

Frangipane is almond cream, a combination of almond flour, butter, sugar, and eggs beaten into a soft, almondy filling. If you love almond desserts, this one is for you. The poached pears balance the richness, and the way they fan out across the top makes the tart look impressive for very little effort.

The Tart Crust

I used a store bought crust here to keep things simple, and it works perfectly well. If you'd rather make your own, my sweet tart dough (pâte sucrée) is the classic choice for this tart. For something less sweet, my flaky pie crust works too.

Whichever you use, roll it out, line a 9 or 10-inch tart pan, and chill it while you make the filling. A cold crust holds its shape better in the oven.

The Frangipane Filling (Almond Cream)

Frangipane is the almond cream filling surrounding the pears. If you're new to it, frangipane is one of the easiest fillings to make. All you need is almond flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and a little flour, beaten until light and smooth.

You can follow my frangipane recipe for the full method. It works for all kinds of tarts, not just this one, and it keeps in the fridge for up to a week if you want to make it ahead.

One thing to know before you start: my frangipane recipe makes about 2 cups, but you only need 1 cup for this tart. Spread just 1 cup in the crust. If you add all of it, the filling overflows and swallows the pears as it bakes. Save the rest for another tart.

I make the full batch because a double volume is easier to mix in a stand mixer. If you'd rather make only what you need, mix a half batch by hand and use butter that's soft or almost melted so it blends smoothly.

Frangipane being spread inside the tart shell for a pear and frangipane tart.

Choosing and Poaching the Pears

I recommend Anjou or Bartlett pears. They have a good shape for slicing and fanning, and they're easy to find. Look for pears that are firm and ripe but not overripe. Firm pears hold their shape when you slice them; soft ones are harder to work with.

Peel each pear, cut it in half, and remove the core.

I poach the pears before they go into the tart so they turn tender and take on a little sweetness from the syrup. You can poach them in wine or in a simple water and sugar syrup, which is what I do in the recipe below.

Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer and cook the pears just until soft. Don't over-poach them, or they'll turn mushy and won't slice neatly.

Pears can be poached ahead of time and stored in the poaching liquid in the refrigerator.

Slice of pear and frangipane tart in a white plate with a fork.

Assembling and Baking the Tart

Start by poking the bottom of the chilled tart shell all over with a fork. This keeps the crust from bubbling up as it bakes. Spread 1 cup of frangipane evenly across the bottom. Remember to use only 1 cup, not the full batch, so the filling has room to set around the pears.

Slice each poached pear half into ¼-inch slices, keeping the slices together. Give the cut pear a slight push with your fingers and it will fan out. Slide a spatula under the whole fanned half and lift it onto the frangipane. Arrange the pear halves in a circular pattern.

Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes, until the crust and pears are browned and the frangipane is set. Let the tart cool.

For a nice finish, brush on a tart glaze while the tart is still cooling. It gives the top a sheen and helps preserve the tart. A light dusting of powdered sugar works too.

When you serve it, cut so each slice gets some pear and some filling. I cut straight through the pear halves so every slice has half pear and half frangipane.

Uncooked pear and frangipane overhead shot.

Make-Ahead and Storage

This tart is easy to break into stages, which makes it a good choice when you're baking ahead.

Frangipane: Make it up to a week in advance and keep it in the fridge, or freeze it for longer. Let it come back to a spreadable consistency before you use it.

Poached pears: Poach them ahead and store them in their poaching liquid in the refrigerator until you're ready to assemble.

Assembled, unbaked tart: You can refrigerate the assembled raw tart for 1 to 2 days, or freeze it for up to 1 month before baking.

Baked tart: It's best served the day it's made. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. I don't recommend freezing the baked tart.

Slice of pear and frangipane tart on a white plate with fork and tart on cake stand in the background.

Enjoy! You may also like my pineapple frangipane tart or my cherry almond cream tart.

Pear Frangipane Tart

Yield: 1 tart

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Pear Frangipane tarts are a classic French pastry filled with frangipane (almond cream) and poached pears. It’s a delicious flavor combination perfect for anytime.

4.5 Stars (70 Reviews)

Ingredients

Poaching Pears

2 ½ pears (5 halves)
1 quart water
1 cup sugar

Frangipane Filling (makes extra, only use 1 cup)

½ cup almond flour
½ cup plus 2 TBS sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, cubed and room temperature
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons flour

For the crust

1 pre-made pie crust

Instructions

Roll out the pie crust and line it in a 9 or 10 inch tart pan. Place it in the refrigerator to chill.
Peel, slice the pears in half and remove the core.
In a large sauce pot, heat the water and sugar until dissolved. Slide the pear halves into the water.
Bring the water to a gentle boil and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the pears are soft.
Remove the pears from the liquid and let them cool.
Add the almond flour, sugar and butter to a bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Mix until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl.
Add the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Scrape down the bowl.
Add the flour and mix until just combined.
Poke the bottom of the tart shell with a fork all over to prevent the crust from bubbling up.
Spread ONLY 1 cup of the frangipane in the bottom of the crust. See note about extra filling.
Slice the pears into ¼ inch slices across each half. Fan out the slices by giving the cut pear a slight push with your fingers.
Use a spatula to transfer each sliced pear half to your tart in a circular pattern.
Bake the tart at 350°F for 35-40 minutes or until the crust and pear are browned and the frangipane is set.

Notes

The recipe makes extra frangipane because it is difficult to mix a small amount. You can store the extra in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze it.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 325Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 92mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 3gSugar: 28gProtein: 4g

This nutrition information is only an approximate provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. Information comes from Nutritionix, an automated nutrition calculator.