Name: Pear and Hazelnut Frangipane
Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, loose skins rubbed off in a kitchen towel, and cooled; ½ cup sugar; ¼ cup all-purpose flour; ¾ stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, softened; 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; ½ teaspoon almond extract; 1 tart shell; 3 firm-ripe Bosc or Anjou pears; ¼ cup apricot preserves, heated and strained

This easy fall dessert uses frangipane, a flexible and easy food-processor custard that can be made from any nut. Hazelnuts and pears are a classic combination that bring out the best in each other.

Recipe information

Yield
10 servings

Ingredients

1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, loose skins rubbed off in a kitchen towel, and cooled

½ cup sugar

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¾ stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

1 tart shell

3 firm-ripe Bosc or Anjou pears

¼ cup apricot preserves, heated and strained

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Step 2
Pulse hazelnuts with ¼ cup sugar in a food processor until finely ground, then add flour and pulse to combine.
Step 3
Beat together butter and remaining ¼ cup sugar with an electric mixer at moderately high speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in extracts. Reduce speed to low and mix in nut mixture until just combined.
Step 4
Spread frangipane filling evenly in tart shell. Peel, halve, and core pears, then cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices, holding slices together to keep pear shape intact. Arrange pears decoratively on filling, fanning slices slightly. Bake until pears are golden and frangipane is puffed and golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Brush pears (not filling) with preserves and cool tart completely in pan on rack, then remove side of pan.

TagsTart Dessert Pear Fruit Hazelnut Nut Dinner Baking Food Processor Electric Mixer Thanksgiving Christmas Fall Gourmet

Leave a Review

Reviews (78)

Love this recipe. Because it was Christmas, I scattered some pomegranate seeds around the pears, and used currant jam instead of apricot for the glaze. Otherwise followed recipe and crust recipe exactly. It looked Christmasy and beautiful. An update version of a great French classic that is often served for the Noel Revillon.
- DianaWitt
- Tamworth, NH
- 12/25/2022
I need to know should we bake the crust first for or would it be ok to do it at the same time? BDW, it's so elegant!!
- Anonymous
- Colorado
- 11/20/2021
I used the tart shell recipe referred to in this recipe, and the tart came out perfectly. Everyone was suitably impressed!
- NancY
- San Diego
- 11/16/2021
Thought it was great! Easy to make - it might be time consuming to do all in one day, but the several steps can easily be spread out over a couple of days, and completed at your convenience. Made this in a 10" springform pan. The recipe doesn't state this explicitly, but the tart shell needs to be pre-baked. (Follow the baking instructions in the linked recipe.) Chose this recipe because I have hazelnuts in the pantry, butter in the freezer, and more pears than I know what to do with in the cellar. Did not purchase the apricot preserves as I wanted to make do with what I have on hand and not spend extra money. The tart was very yummy and well received by my family, but the apricot glaze would have added an extra dimension of flavor and appearance that I would want to have if I were making this for a special occasion or company. I used Kroger brand almond extract, which I thought was a little "off" in terms of flavor, and a smidge strong. Not sure if a different brand of extract would be better, or if hazelnut extract would be a good substitution here (I think I will get ahold of some hazelnut extract to test this, as I still have more hazelnuts and pears!!) I also used Anjou pears because they are what I have on hand; thought they were a little watery, and I wonder if Bosc would make a difference. The apricot glaze on the pears might have helped here. Again, thought this was a tasty, simple, recipe. Will definitely make again.
- Anonymous
- Columbus, OH
- 6/15/2021
This tart was delicious and made a lovely Christmas presentation. Calling it “easy” is a bit of a stretch-once you go to the other imbedded recipes! But the effort was well with the pay off. I made the filling almost exactly as written, except I added 1/2 tsp of almond liqueur to the filling, and a 1/4 tsp to the preserves.
- Melissa D
- San Francisco, CA
- 12/27/2020
Today is the second time I’m making this beautiful tart. I use toasted almond slices that I always have at home. Otherwise, I follow the instructions exactly. Like many other reviewers, this tart is so simple yet elegant. It’s not too sweet and utterly deliciously
- Theodora888
- Miami, FL
- 12/13/2020
Question: do we spread the frangiapane into a blind baked tart shell? And then further bake for another half hour or so? Does the tart shell fair pretty well?
- bfa619
- San Diego
- 10/26/2020