Pear Tart

 If you love pear and almonds, you’ll love this rustic pear tart with homemade almond frangipane, delicate poached pears and a sweet short crust dough. I love fruit desserts, and this one does not disappoint.

There are a few components, which can be made a day or two ahead of time, which is helpful during the holiday season. Pear season is so short, but I also feel like it definitely gets shortchanged in between apple season and pumpkin season! So if you love pears as much as I do, you’ll love this delicate pear tart. This recipe is from Cook’s Illustrated, 2002.

Ingredients for pear tart

The pears are poached in a spiced wine and are delicious on their own, or served drizzled with chocolate sauce, a la Poires Belle Helene!

Poached pears:

Choose firm but ripe pears or purchase them a few days ahead of baking day. Choose Bartlett or Bosc pears for the best results. Don’t discard the poaching syrup. Add a few tablespoons to apple cider or drizzle it over vanilla ice cream! 

• 1 bottle white wine
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice and lemon peel, (about 1 lemon)
• 1 small stick of cinnamon
• 12 black peppercorns (optional)
• 3 whole cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 vanilla bean slit in half lengthwise (optional)
• 4 ripe but firm fresh pears, (Bosc or Bartlett pears are recommended), (about 2 pounds). I like to add an extra pear in case there are gaps to fill in any gaps.
• Apricot jam for the final glaze

Tart pastry (pâte sucrée):

The pastry can be made up to 2 days in advance. If making the tart dough in advance and chilling, allow it to sit on the counter until it becomes easier to roll.

• 1 large egg yolk (reserve the filling for the almond cream filling).
• 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/12 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 10 Tablespoons very cold butter, diced

Almond frangipane filling:

If you can’t find blanched slivered almonds, blanching almonds is an extra step, but takes less than 5 minutes. (See below)

• 4 ounces (1 cup) blanched slivered or chopped  almonds
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, plus 1 egg white
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

Apricot jam for the glaze

How to make a pear tart

​To streamline the process, poach the pears first, while they are cooling, prepare the tart pastry. While the tart pastry is chilling, prepare the almond filling.

​How to poach pears:

• Combine wine, sugar, lemon juice and zest, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and black peppercorns in a large saucepan.
• Scrape seeds from the vanilla bean and add both to the saucepan.
• Bring to a simmer while preparing the pears.
• Halve, core and peel each pear, removing the stem and woody center piece.

• Place the peeled pear halves in water with lemon juice to prevent browning while peeling.
• When the liquid comes to a light boil, carefully place pears in poaching liquid. Turn down heat to low and cover, cooking pears until tender and pierce easily with a toothpick or skewer. Make sure to flip pears half-way through so they cook on both sides.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool in covered pan until easy enough to handle.

You will need an 11″ Tart Pan with removable bottom.

Making the tart pastry (pâte sucrée):

• Cut butter into small cubes.
• Whisk together egg yolk, whipping cream, and vanilla in a small bowl. 
• Pulse flour, confectioner’s sugar and salt in food processor 2 or 3 times until combined. 

• Scatter butter over flour mixture and pulse about 20 times until it resembles fine crumbs.
• Add the beaten egg mixture in a steady stream while pulsing the food processor just until dough comes together, about 15 seconds.
• Place dough on a large sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate at least an hour and up to 48 hours.

• Remove dough from fridge and unwrap, and place between two sheets of floured parchment paper. Roll dough into a 15″ round. (if it’s been chilling longer than 1 hour, allow it to come to room temperature until easy to roll).

• Carefully roll pastry over the Rolling Pin, and place dough over tart pan and press dough into edges, trimming the top edge and using the excess dough to fill in any cracks or breaks.

• Place tart pan on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.
• Cover tart with lightly buttered aluminum foil and fill tart shell with Baking Weights. Par-bake tart crust on a large baking sheet at 375 degrees F. about 20 minutes or until light golden brown, rotating crust halfway through baking.
• Remove weights and foil and allow crust to cool on a wire rack while preparing the filling.

Making the almond frangipane filling:

• Pulse slivered or chopped almonds, sugar, and salt in the food processor until very finely ground about 40-50 pulses.

• Add egg and egg white, almond and vanilla flavorings pulsing to combine. 
• Add cubed butter and process until no lumps remain and filling is smooth. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl and pulse again until mixture is well blended.

• The filling can be used immediately or well wrapped and refrigerated until ready to use. (if refrigerated for longer than 30 minutes allow the filling to come to room temperature before using)

Assembling the pear tart:

• ​Remove the pears from the poaching liquid and transfer onto a cutting board with paper towels to blot up excess liquid.
• Spread the frangipane over the baked tart shell.

• Slice the pears horizontally. Transfer each sliced pear half with an off-set spatula and arrange them on the frangipane.

• Space the pear slices evenly, gently pressing into the filling.

• Bake tart on baking sheet until crust is deep golden brown and firm to the touch, about 45 minutes. Rotate baking sheet halfway through.
• Cool tart on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. While tart is cooling, make the apricot glaze.
• Heat 1/4 cup apricot jam and 3 Tablespoons water in a small saucepan over medium heat, until jam is melted and any lumps disappear.

• Using a pastry brush, brush the warm apricot jam over the pears and allow to cool completely before serving.

• The tart is best if served the same day as it baked. Store any leftover tart well wrapped in the refrigerator. 
• The leftover tart can be frozen and defrosted in the fridge.

Make ahead tips

• All the components can be made 2-3 days ahead of time. 
• Wrap the finished pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour  and up to 48 hours in advance. 
• The tart dough can also be rolled out on tart pan, covered well and frozen until ready to bake.
• Store poached pears in their syrup in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
• Make the frangipane almond filling up to 3 days in advance. Store in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap in an airtight container. Allow to come to room temperature for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, before using.
• Pre-bake the pie crust in the morning if desired, then assemble just before baking.

Blanching almonds

If you are unable to find blanched slivered almonds in the grocery store they take just a few minutes to make with raw almonds.

• Place raw almonds in a heat proof dish.
• Pour boiling water over almonds to cover.
• Let almonds sit for 30 seconds, then drain.
• Press or pull skins off almonds and pat dry.

Looking for more tart recipes?

French Apple Tart

Three Nut Tart

Individual Apple Tarts

Raspberry Tart

Fig and Walnut Tart