Tarte Bourdaloue (Pear and Almond Tart) with Frangipane

Sweet pastry

• 200 g Plain flour
• 60 g Caster sugar
• 120 g Unsalted butter, cold
• 1 Egg

Frangipane and topping

• 100 g Unsalted butter, softened
• 100 g Caster sugar
• 120 g Ground almonds
• 20 g Plain flour
• 2 Egg
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 Lemon
• 4 medium Pear, ripe but firm

1. Make the pastry: sift the flour into a bowl and stir in the caster sugar. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the egg until the dough just comes together.
2. Shape the dough into a disc, cover, and chill until firm. This makes it easier to roll and helps prevent shrinkage in the oven.
3. Heat the oven to 180°C (355°F). Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface and line a tart tin, pressing it neatly into the corners. Chill the lined tin for 10 minutes while you make the filling.
4. Make the frangipane: beat the softened butter and caster sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the ground almonds, flour, vanilla extract, and finely grated lemon zest. Stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice to brighten the flavour.
5. Peel the pears, halve them, and remove the cores. Slice each pear half into thin, even slices, keeping the shape intact so you can fan them on top. Toss the pears with a little more lemon juice to prevent browning.
6. Spread the frangipane evenly into the chilled pastry case. Arrange the pear halves on top, fanning the slices slightly and pressing them gently into the filling. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the tart is golden and the centre feels set with a slight spring.
7. Cool the tart in the tin for 15 minutes, then remove and cool on a rack. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Made this recipe? Rate it — a comment is optional.