Classic French Pear & Frangipane Tart
Tarte Bourdaloue
There are some French desserts that feel timeless, and Tarte Bourdaloue is certainly one of them. With its crisp, buttery pastry, creamy almond frangipane and tender pears arranged beautifully on top, it has that unmistakable French patisserie charm. It is elegant without being fussy, and the combination of pears and almonds makes every slice wonderfully comforting.
The tart takes its name from Rue Bourdaloue in Paris, where it is believed to have been created in the late 19th century. The original version is traditionally made with poached pears and almond cream, although variations can be found with different types of pastry and finishing touches.
The beautiful fan-shaped pears are perhaps what make it so recognisable.
Served slightly warm or at room temperature, it makes a lovely dessert with a little crème fraîche, whipped cream or simply a cup of coffee.
A little about Tarte Bourdaloue
The tart is named after Rue Bourdaloue, a street in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. It became associated with Parisian pastry-making during the 19th century and is now considered one of the classic French fruit tarts.
The name frangipane refers to the rich almond-based cream used in the tart. In traditional French baking, frangipane is generally made from almond cream combined with pastry cream, while the simpler filling used in many home-baked versions, including this one, is technically closer to crème d'amande.
It is this almond cream that gives the tart its characteristic nutty flavour and beautifully golden, slightly puffed centre.
The pears are usually poached before being arranged over the almond filling. This not only softens firm pears but also gives them a delicate sweetness and allows them to bake evenly without releasing too much liquid into the tart.
Looking for something similar? You might enjoy: Elegant Berry Tart
Tips for Making Tarte Bourdaloue
Choose pears that hold their shape
Use pears that are ripe enough to have good flavour but still firm. Bosc pears are particularly good because they hold their shape beautifully when poached and baked. Bartlett pears can also be used, although they tend to soften more quickly.
If your pears are already perfectly ripe and tender, you may not need to poach them for as long. The important thing is that they are tender enough to slice easily but still firm enough to handle.
Keep the pastry cold
The pastry contains a generous amount of butter, so keeping it cold will help you achieve a crisp, delicate shell. If the dough becomes soft while rolling or lining the tart tin, place it back in the refrigerator for a few minutes rather than adding lots of extra flour.
Don't skip chilling the pastry
The 45-minute chilling time allows the butter to firm up and gives the flour time to hydrate. Chilling also helps prevent the pastry from shrinking during baking.
Pat the pears very dry
This is one of the most important steps. Whether you poach the pears yourself or use canned pears, make sure they are thoroughly dried before placing them over the frangipane.
Any excess moisture can make the almond filling wetter and prevent the pastry from staying crisp.
Don't overwork the pastry
Once the ingredients come together, stop mixing. Overworking the dough develops gluten and can make the pastry tougher rather than tender and crumbly.
Slice the pears before arranging them
When cutting the pear halves, slice them thinly and evenly, keeping the slices together at the narrow end. This makes it much easier to fan them out and transfer them neatly onto the tart.
How to Make Tarte Bourdaloue
1. Make the sweet shortcrust pastry
✔ In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and work it into the flour using a wooden spoon, then use your fingertips to gently rub the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
✔ Add the egg yolk and one tablespoon of ice water. Mix gently with the wooden spoon, then use your hands to bring the dough together. If the dough still feels too dry, add the remaining tablespoon of water, a little at a time.
✔ Once the dough comes together, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape it into a disk. Avoid kneading or overworking the pastry.
✔ Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 45 minutes before rolling it out.
2. Prepare the pears
✔ While the pastry chills, prepare the pears. Peel, halve and core the pears. In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla. Bring to a gentle simmer, then carefully add the pear halves.
✔ Poach them over low heat for about 10–15 minutes, or until a small knife slides easily into the fruit.
✔ Remove the pears from the syrup and allow them to cool. Once cool enough to handle, pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels.
3. Roll out the pastry
✔ Lightly flour your work surface and roll the chilled pastry to approximately 3 mm thick.
✔ Carefully lift the pastry into a 23 cm (9-inch) tart pan with a removable bottom, gently pressing it into the corners and sides without stretching it.
✔ Trim away any excess pastry around the edges.
✔ Place the pastry-lined tart tin in the freezer for about 15 minutes. This helps the pastry hold its shape during baking.
4. Blind bake the tart shell
✔ Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
✔ Line the chilled pastry with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans.
✔ Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the parchment and weights. Return the tart shell to the oven for another 5 minutes, until the pastry is lightly golden.
✔ Set aside to cool slightly.
5. Make the almond frangipane
✔ While the tart shell is baking, prepare the almond filling.
✔ Beat the softened butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add the egg, vanilla and almond extract and beat until combined.
✔ Add the ground almonds, flour and salt. Mix gently until you have a smooth, creamy filling.
✔ The frangipane should be soft enough to spread easily but not runny.
6. Fill the tart shell
✔ Spread the frangipane evenly over the cooled or slightly warm tart shell.
✔ Try to create an even layer, particularly around the edges, so the filling bakes at the same rate throughout.
7. Slice and arrange the pears
✔ Place each poached pear half on a cutting board.
✔ Using a sharp knife, make thin slices across the pear, keeping the slices connected at the narrow end. Avoid cutting completely through the pear.
✔ Gently press the slices with your fingers to fan them out.
✔Carefully transfer each fanned pear half onto the frangipane. Arrange them with the narrow ends pointing towards the centre or in a radiating pattern, depending on the look you prefer.
✔ The pears will naturally spread slightly as they bake, so leave a little space between them.
Scatter the flaked almonds into the spaces between the pears.
9. Bake until golden
✔ Bake the tart at 180°C (350°F) for 35–40 minutes, or until the frangipane is puffed and golden and the centre is set.
✔ Keep an eye on the pastry during the final part of baking. If the edges are becoming too dark, loosely cover the outer rim with a strip of aluminium foil.
✔ Warm the apricot jam until it becomes loose enough to brush. While the tart is still warm, gently brush the jam over the pears. The glaze adds a beautiful shine and a little extra sweetness.
✔ Allow the tart to cool completely before removing it from the tin and slicing.
Looking for something similar? You might enjoy: French Fig Tart with Almond Cream
Love this recipe? Please leave a comment. Your feedback, suggestions, and adaptations are very helpful to other bakers!
Classic French Pear
& Frangipane Tart
It is elegant without being fussy, and the combination of pears and almonds makes every slice wonderfully comforting.
Serving: 8 | Prep Time: 35 mins | Baking Time: 55 mins | Chilling Time: 45 mins |
Calories: 420 kcal
Ingredients
Sweet Shortcrust Pastry (Pâte Sucrée):
180 g all-purpose flour
50 g powdered sugar
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
100 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 large egg yolk
1–2 tbsp ice water
Quick Poached Pears (essential for firm/unripe pears):
3 medium pears (Bosc or Bartlett), peeled, halved, and cored
700 ml water
150 g granulated sugar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
Almond Frangipane Filling:
100 g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
100 g granulated sugar
100 g almond flour (ground almonds)
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
Pinch of fine sea salt
Garnish & Finish:
2 tbsp flaked almonds
2 tbsp warm apricot jam (for glaze)
Method
Prepare and Chill the Pastry:
In a large bowl (or food processor), combine the flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse - or use a wooden spoon and your fingertips to gently rub the butter into the flour- until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Stir or pulse in the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of ice water just until the dough comes together into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 45 minutes.
Poach the Pears:
Bring the water, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla to a gentle simmer in a saucepan. Add the peeled and cored pear halves. Simmer on low heat for 10–15 minutes until a paring knife easily pierces the fruit. Remove from heat, let cool, and pat completely dry with paper towels.
Par-Bake the Tart Shell (Blind Bake):
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to a 3 mm thickness and fit it into a 23 cm (9-inch) tart pan with a removable bottom.
Freeze for 15 minutes to set the butter. Line with parchment paper, fill with pie weights, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove paper and weights, then bake for another 5 minutes until light golden. Let cool.
Whip the Frangipane:
In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Gently fold in the almond flour, 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour, and salt until smooth.
Assemble the Tart:
Spread the frangipane cream evenly across the bottom of your par-baked shell. Slice each pear half thinly crosswise, keeping the stem end intact.
Press down gently to fan out the slices, then transfer each fanned half onto the frangipane layer in a radiating starburst pattern. Scatter flaked almonds into the open spaces between the fruit.
Bake and Glaze:
Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 35–40 minutes, until the almond cream puffs up, turns golden brown, and is set in the center.
Brush warm apricot jam over the hot fruit immediately after taking it out of the oven for a bakery-worthy shine. Allow to cool completely before removing the outer ring and slicing.
Enjoy!
Notes |
1. Dry the pears thoroughly: Excess surface liquid from poached or canned pears will seep into the almond cream and soften the crust. Always pat them completely dry with paper towels before assembling.
2. Shield the edges if over-browning: Because the pastry shell is baked twice, keep an eye on the top rim during the final 15 minutes. If it browns too quickly, loosely drape a small strip of aluminum foil over the outer crust.
A Thought Among Flavours
"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the Earth seeking the successive autumns.” ― George Eliot
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