Pear and chocolate frangipane tart
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- A little effort
- Serves 8
Skip to ingredients
- 250g plain flourplus extra for dusting
- 150g fridge cold unsalted buttercut into small pieces
- 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
- 1 medium free-range eggbeaten
FILLING
- 3 firm conference pears
- about 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 150g plain chocolate
- 175g unsalted buttersoftened
- 175g golden caster sugar
- 125g ground almonds
- 75g plain flour
- ½ tsp salt flakes
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 medium free-range eggsbeaten
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- 15g flaked almonds
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal796
- fat51.1g
- carbs77.6g
- fibre4.3g
- protein11.3g
- salt0.42g
Method
step 1
To make the pastry, put the flour, butter and sugar in a food processor and blend until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. With the motor running, slowly add the egg to the flour mixture. Turn off the motor as soon as the dough forms a ball.
step 2
Roll out the pastry on a well-floured surface, lifting and turning after every few rolls. Line a deep fluted 25cm flan tin with the pastry – don’t worry if it tears a little as you can repair any gaps with the trimmings. Place on a sturdy baking tray and prick the base lightly with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
step 3
Line the pastry case with crumpled baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake blind for 22 minutes, then remove the paper and beans and cook for a further 3 minutes or until the base is dry. Remove from the oven and put to one side while the filling is prepared. Reduce the oven temperature to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3.
step 4
Peel the pears and cut into quarters. Remove the cores and put all the pear quarters into a large bowl. Pour over the lemon juice and toss. This will prevent the pears turning brown. Put the chocolate on a board and roughly chop.
step 5
In a food processor, blend the butter and sugar until pale and soft. Add the ground almonds, flour, salt, baking powder, eggs and vanilla. Blend well. Remove the blade and stir in the chocolate pieces with a spatula.
step 6
Spread the almond mixture evenly over the cooled pastry case, starting at the edges before heading into the centre. Drain the pear quarters and arrange on their sides in a circle around the tart, pressing gently into the almond mix, narrow ends towards the centre.
step 7
Bake on the tray in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over and return to the oven for a further 35-40 minutes or until the pears are tender and the frangipane filling is well risen and golden brown – if it’s becoming too brown too fast, move the tart down to a lower shelf. Leave to stand for 15 minutes before lifting from the tin. Serve warm or at room temperature with lots of crème fraîche.
