Pear and almond tart is a traditional French recipe which results in a rich almond filling used in tarts and pastries. Probably that’s one of the many reasons why is so popular in Ireland. There is no need to wait for Irish pear season. Canned pears are perfectly fine in this recipe. Of course, you can use fresh pears to make that lovely tart, but under one condition. You must poach them! I’m afraid I have to disagree with chefs who claims that you can use fresh pears straight forward into pear and almond tart and 20 minutes in the oven is more than enough to cook them inside frangipane filling.
You will need
- 6 loose-bottomed tart tin 7 cm (2.75 in)
- Food processor
- Small bowl
- Large baking sheet
- Sieve
- Piping bag
- Colander
Ingredients
Serves 6
- 6 halves of tinned pears
- 2 tbsp of flaked almonds
For the sweet pastry
- 250 g (9 oz) plain flour
- 125 g (4 1/2 oz) sugar
- 125 g (4 1/2 oz) butter, room temperature
- 2 medium size free-range eggs
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
For the frangipane
- 125 g (4 1/2 oz) ground almond
- 125 g (4 1/2 oz) sugar
- 125 g (4 1/2 oz) butter, room temperature
- 2 medium size free-range eggs
- 1 tsp of almond extract
Preparation Method
100 minutes
- To make sweet pastry sieve the flour onto a clean work surface, add sugar and butter. Using your fingertips, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles rough breadcrumbs.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the mixture and gently work it together until dough forms. Don’t work the sweet pastry too much at this stage. Flour it lightly ready dough and wrap in cling film. Place in the fridge till needed.
- Meanwhile, combine all the frangipane ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Place into the small bowl and wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge.
- Dust a clean work surface with little flour and press sweet pastry into a rectangle shape. Roll out the dough to about 3 millimetres thickness and cut out 6 discs from the pastry to line the greased 7 cm (2.75 in) loose-bottomed tart tin. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 160˚C/320˚F/Gas mark 3.
- Fill a piping bag with frangipane and spread filling evenly into the previously prepared tarts up to ¾ of their high.
- Cut each half of pear crosswise into thin slices. Gently press each pear half to fan slices but keep slices tightly overlapped. Slide the spatula under pears and transfer carefully on the top of filling. Sprinkle over the top flake almonds and place tarts on the baking sheet in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove pear and almond tarts from the oven and allow them to cool slightly. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.