Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Poached Pears
- 3 bosc or williams pears, peeled, halved, and cored
- 1000 ml water
- 300 g granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
Pâte Sablée (Pastry)
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 125 g unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- 80 g icing sugar
- 30 g almond flour
- 2 g salt
- 1 egg, room temperature
Raspberry Jam Layer
- 200 g fresh or frozen raspberries
- 100 g jam sugar
- 10 ml lemon juice
Frangipane Filling
- 100 g unsalted butter, softened
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 100 g almond flour
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 20 g all-purpose flour
- 15 ml dark rum
Assembly & Finish
- 30 g flaked almonds
- 50 g apricot jam, warmed
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Combine water, 300g sugar, vanilla bean, and lemon zest/juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
Add the peeled pear halves to the simmering syrup. Cover with a parchment cartouche (circle of paper) to keep them submerged. Poach until tender but firm (knife glides in easily). Remove from heat and let cool in the liquid.
In a small saucepan, combine raspberries, 100g jam sugar, and 10ml lemon juice. Boil vigorously until thickened to a jam consistency. Transfer to a bowl to cool completely.
For the pastry: Pulse flour, icing sugar, almond flour, salt, and cold butter in a processor until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and pulse briefly until dough clumps together. Form into a disc, wrap in plastic, and chill.
Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thickness. Line the tart tin, trim excess, and prick the base with a fork. Freeze the lined tin for 20 minutes to prevent shrinkage.
Preheat oven to 180°C/355°F. Line the tart shell with parchment paper and fill with baking beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove paper and beans, then bake for another 5 minutes until pale golden. Cool slightly.
Make frangipane: Cream 100g softened butter and 100g sugar until pale. Beat in eggs one at a time. Fold in 100g almond flour, 20g flour, and rum/extract until smooth.
Spread the cooled raspberry jam evenly over the base of the tart shell. Spread the frangipane carefully over the jam layer, smoothing the top.
Drain pears and pat dry. Slice them crosswise (keeping the shape intact) and fan them slightly. Press them gently into the frangipane in a spoke pattern. Scatter flaked almonds in the gaps.
Bake at 180°C/355°F until the frangipane is puffed and golden brown, and the pastry is crisp.
While warm, brush the pears with warmed apricot jam for a professional shine. Let cool completely in the tin before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Always dry the poached pears thoroughly on paper towels before placing them on the frangipane; excess liquid will ruin the almond cream texture.
- If you don't have apricot jam for the glaze, you can reduce the pear poaching liquid until it becomes a thick syrup.
- The tart tastes best after resting for at least 4 hours, or even the next day, as the flavors meld and the almond cream sets fully.
- When making the pastry, stop mixing as soon as the dough clumps. Overworking develops gluten and makes the crust tough instead of short (crumbly).
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Cover loosely with foil or store in an airtight container to prevent the crust from softening.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze unbaked (assembled) or baked. Thaw in fridge overnight.
Reheating: Refresh in a 160°C oven for 10 minutes to crisp the crust.
