Pear frangipane tart has a buttery shortbread crust baked with almond frangipane filling and topped with sliced pears and almonds.
When autumn arrives and pear season hits its peak, there’s no better way to celebrate than with this show-stopping tart. After nearly two decades of working in professional pastry kitchens, I can tell you that frangipane tarts are one of those desserts that look incredibly sophisticated but are surprisingly approachable for home bakers.
The magic happens when buttery almond cream bakes around sweet, tender pears, creating that perfect balance of textures—crispy crust, creamy filling, and soft fruit. Add a sprinkle of sliced almonds and coarse sugar on top, and you’ve got a dessert worthy of any special occasion.
Why This Pear Almond Tart Works
This recipe combines two foolproof components: a forgiving French-style sweet pastry crust (pâte sucrée) and a silky almond frangipane filling. Here’s what makes it special:
- The crust is made like cookie dough—no pie-making anxiety here. Butter creams with sugar and eggs to create tender, slightly sweet pastry that’s easy to handle and even easier to patch if it tears. It’s the most forgiving tart dough you’ll ever work with. Same crust used in almond pine nut tart.
- The frangipane filling is a classic French almond cream that bakes into a golden, custardy layer with incredible nutty flavor. Made with almond paste (not marzipan—more on that below), it provides the perfect creamy canvas for the pears. Same filling from nectarine almond tart.
- The pears caramelize slightly as they bake, their natural sugars intensifying while they stay tender and juicy. Bartlett pears are my go-to for this tart, but Bosc or Anjou work beautifully too.
What You’ll Need + Ingredients
Pâte Sucrée Crust:
- Butter (softened, not melted)
- Powdered sugar (creates that melt-in-your-mouth texture)
- Eggs (provides structure and richness)
- All-purpose flour
- Salt (enhances flavor)
Almond Frangipane:
- Almond paste (find it in tubes or cans near the baking supplies—not marzipan!)
- Sugar and butter (the foundation of any great pastry cream)
- Eggs (for richness and structure)
- Vanilla extract (always use pure)
- Flour and baking powder (gives the filling slight lift)
For the Topping:
- 3 ripe Bartlett pears (should yield slightly to gentle pressure)
- Sliced almonds (for crunch)
- Turbinado sugar (those large crystals stay crunchy when baked)
The Professional Tips That Make the Difference
Why Par-Bake (Blind Bake) the Crust?
We partially bake the empty tart shell before adding the filling—this prevents a soggy bottom. The process is simple: line the dough with parchment paper, add pie weights (dried beans work great), and bake until it just starts to set. This creates a seal that keeps the crust crisp even when you pour in the creamy frangipane.
How to partially blind bake tart shell:
- Use a fluted tart shell with a removable bottom. This recipes works best with a 9.5-inch or 10-inch tart shell.
- Line tart shell with dough. Dock dough with fork to prevent bubbles from forming in the oven. (Usually the dough is also allowed to chill and rest in the fridge prior to baking.)
- Line dough with parchment paper (or aluminum foil) and top with weights. Any oven safe weights will do: fancy ceramic pie weights, dried beans, or dried rice.
- Partially bake tart shell. Remove parchment paper and weights. Let shell cool before adding filling.
Baking 101: Blind Bake
There are two types of blind baking: partial blind bake and full blind bake.
Partial Blind Bake
- As the name suggests, the dough is partially baked without filling, then fully baked once the filling has been added.
Full Blind Bake
- Full blind bake means that crust is completely baked before any filling is added.
Full blind bake is common for pies and tarts filled with pastry cream or mousse. Examples include: Blood Orange Earl Grey Tarts and Peanut Butter Mousse Tarts.
About Almond Paste vs. Marzipan
This is crucial: almond paste and marzipan are NOT interchangeable. Almond paste is a thick, clay-like mixture of ground almonds and sugar with less sweetness and more almond flavor—perfect for baking.
Marzipan is much sweeter, softer, and candy-like, meant for decorating or eating on its own. Using marzipan in frangipane will make it too sweet and affect the texture. Look for Solo, Odense, or similar brands in the baking aisle.
Choosing the Right Pears
Bartlett pears (late August through January) are ideal because they’re perfectly balanced between sweet and firm. They hold their shape during baking without turning to mush. Look for pears that are ripe but not overly soft—they should give slightly when you press the stem end.
Bartlett pears are probably the most popular or well known of the pear varieties because they’re so versatile. Eat them raw as a snack, slice them into salads, serve them with a cheese board, or bake them into sweet treats. They’re also great for canning and poaching.
Other great options: Bosc pears (firmer, hold shape well), Anjou (mild and sweet), or Comice (buttery and juicy). I use Comice in this pear rice pudding and Starkrimson in this no bake pear cheesecake.
How to Assemble Tart
Step 1: Make the Tart Dough
Cream softened butter with powdered sugar until smooth, then add the eggs. Mix in flour and salt just until combined—don’t overmix. The dough should come together like soft cookie dough. If it seems crumbly in your mixer, press it together with your hands; it will smooth out. Divide in half, wrap each portion, and chill for at least an hour.
Pro tip: This recipe makes two tart shells. Freeze the second disc for up to 3 months—you’ll thank yourself later when you can make another tart in half the time.
Step 2: Roll and Blind Bake
Roll one chilled dough disc into an 11-inch circle on a floured surface. Transfer to a 9.5 or 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press it gently into the corners and trim the edges. Prick the bottom with a fork (this is called “docking” and prevents bubbles).
Line with parchment, fill with pie weights, and bake at 375°F for 8 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment, then bake another 6 minutes until lightly golden. Let it cool completely.
Step 3: Prepare the Frangipane
In a food processor, pulse almond paste, sugar, and butter until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla, baking powder, salt, and flour. Process until creamy and homogeneous. The food processor is key here—it breaks down the almond paste completely for a silky texture.
Don’t have a food processor? An immersion blender works well. A stand mixer will work but won’t get the filling as smooth.
Step 4: Assemble and Bake
Spread the frangipane filling into your cooled tart shell. Peel and core your pears, then slice each half into thin slices. Fan them out slightly and arrange on the filling in a decorative pattern. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and turbinado sugar.
Bake at 350°F for 38-40 minutes. The filling should be golden brown and set (no jiggle in the center), and the pears will be tender and slightly caramelized at the edges.
Serving and Storage
Let the tart cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing—this gives the frangipane time to set properly. Slice into 8-10 portions, making sure each slice has a nice portion of pear.
Serve it at room temperature, slightly warm, or even chilled. A dollop of crème fraîche or lightly sweetened whipped cream is lovely but completely optional.
Storage: Keep at room temperature for up to 24 hours, covered loosely. After that, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature or warm gently in a 300°F oven before serving.
Make It Your Own
Once you master this technique, you can swap the fruit seasonally:
- Summer: nectarines, apricots, or plums
- Fall: figs or try this apple version
- Winter: poached quince or persimmons
The frangipane filling is incredibly versatile and pairs beautifully with almost any fruit!
Pear Frangipane Tart
Ingredients
Tart Shell:
- 14 Tablespoon (198 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (58 g ) powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3 cups (390 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Frangipane Filling:
- ⅓ cup (3.5 oz/99 g) almond paste
- 3 Tablespoon ( 38 g) granulated sugar
- 6 Tablespoon (85 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoon (16 g ) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Topping:
- 3 ripe medium-sized Bartlett pears*
- sliced almonds, to top
- turbinado sugar, to top
Instructions
Tart Shell:
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Scrape down bowl as needed to ensure thorough mixing. Add egg and egg yolk. Mix until well incorporated.
- Add flour and salt. Mix on low speed just until there are no longer any dry streaks of flour. Gently press dough together. Divide in two equal parts and pat into flat discs. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- When ready to roll out dough, place one disc on a lightly floured work surface (or between two sheets of wax paper). Roll into a circle about 11-inches in diameter.
- Gently transfer dough to 9.5-inch or 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Use your fingers to press dough against the sides and bottom of pan. Trim the overhang dough along the edges. Dock the bottom of tart. Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge while oven preheats.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Remove plastic wrap from tart. Line tart with parchment paper or aluminum foil and add pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove parchment paper and pie weights. Bake for another 6 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool while you prepare filling.
Frangipane Filling:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a food processor fitted with blade attachment, combine almond paste, sugar, and butter. Pulse until well blended. Scrape down bowl as needed.
- Add eggs one a time, pulsing until incorporated. Add vanilla, salt, baking powder, and flour. Process until mixture is smooth.
Assembly and Topping:
- Pour filling into cooled tart shell.
- Peel pears. Slice in half lengthwise and core. Slice pear halves crosswise into thin slices. Slightly fan pear slices apart. Use a mini offset spatula to carefully transfer fanned pears atop the filled tart shell. Repeat with remaining pear halves, spacing pears equally apart in tart shell.
- Sprinkle sliced almonds and turbinado sugar, as desired. Bake for 38-40 minutes until the filling center no longer jiggles. Allow tart to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing. If desired, dust tart with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Be sure to use ripe pears. Otherwise, the pears will lack flavor. If pears are extra juicy, place sliced pears on paper towel lined plate before transferring to filled tart shell.
- Tart can be left at room temperature for up to one day. Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Wow, lovely