The pear almond tart, a great classic of French pastry, would have seen the light of day in the 17th century, probably in Île-de-France. This dessert, born from the imagination of pastry chefs in search of unique flavors, harmoniously combines the sweetness of pears and the richness of almonds, as its name suggests.

Popular in France and adopted by pastry chefs around the world, this dessert has a special place in my heart. During my experience as a host in Nice, I often served it for breakfast, opting for simplicity with store-bought dough and fruit in syrup. Today, I offer you an entirely homemade version, enhanced by fresh seasonal apricots, perfect for summer.

Special utensils for pear almond tart

• Cul-de-poule, horn and rolling pin
• Silicone mat
• 25 cm diameter bottomless tart pan

Ingredients

Sweet shortcrust pastry

A sweet shortcrust pastry, made previously, for a 25 cm mold (see sweet shortcrust pastry) or you can buy a dough commercially.

Almond cream: « amandine »

• 100 g of butter
• 100 g of sugar
• 100 g of almond powder
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 teaspoon of bitter almond flavoring

Fruit in syrup

• 13 cl of water
• 130 g of sugar
• 4 to 6 apricots, because pears are not in season

Poaching fruit in syrup

• In a small saucepan, mix 13 cl of water (130 ml) and 130 g of sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Add 4 to 6 apricots (depending on their size), cut in half and pitted. Leave to simmer over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the apricots are tender but still firm (check with the tip of a knife).
• Remove the pan from the heat and let the apricots cool in the syrup so that they soak up its sweetness.
• Gently drain the apricots. Reserve the syrup to cover the tart, flavor a cream or other preparation.

Preparing the garnish for pear almond tart

• Mix the almond powder, sugar, and flour in a mixing bowl.

Dressing the pear almond tart

• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the sweetened shortcrust pastry using a rolling pin to a thickness of 3-4 mm, on a sheet of parchment paper.
• Gently transfer the dough into a tart pan (25 cm in diameter), pressing it gently against the bottom and edges so that it adheres perfectly. Cut the excess dough flush with the mold. Prick the bottom with a fork and refrigerate for 15 minutes to prevent it from shrinking.
• Spread the almond cream (amandine) evenly on the tart base using a spatula, to a thickness of approximately 1 cm.
• Arrange the poached and well-drained half-apricots on the almond cream, skin side up, forming a rosette or an aesthetic pattern.
• Using a brush, gently brush the apricots and the edges of the dough with the poaching syrup to add shine and flavor.
• Preheat the oven to 180 °C in ventilated heat + bottom and top plate. Bake the almond pear tart in the center of the oven and bake for 23-25 minutes, until the dough is golden brown and the almond cream is set well. Let cool before unmolding and serving.

Tips for pears almond tart

• Regarding fruit in syrup, I prefer cut in half so as not to waste sugar. Since fruit must cook in syrup, you would need to double or triple the proportions of sugars to cook whole fruit in syrup.
• Arrangement of Apricots: For an elegant visual, you might suggest cutting apricots into quarters or thin slices for a more refined presentation, depending on the desired effect.
• Syrup: If the syrup is very liquid, you can reduce it slightly (boil for 2-3 minutes) for a brighter and more concentrated effect.
• Finish: After cooking, you can sprinkle a little icing sugar or toasted flaked almonds for a decorative touch.

Original ideas for poire amandine (Anthony’s corner)

1. Replace pears with seasonal fruits that go well with almonds.
2. Add flavorings to sweet shortcrust pastry (see sweet shortcrust pastry).
3. Flavoring: To enhance the apricots, add half a vanilla pod, orange zest or a pinch of cinnamon to the syrup during cooking. This will strengthen the aromatic profile of your apricot and almond tart.
4. If you choose pears, choose ripe and firm ones, like Bartlett or Comice. Cook them in water and sugar with spices like cinnamon, cloves and lemon for about five minutes, or until tender.