Delicious Apple Frangipane Tart

For precise measurements and detailed step-by-step instructions, please jump to the full recipe card below.

• Flour: Standard plain flour (also known as all-purpose flour) is all you need for both the crisp tart shell and a touch in the frangipane filling. It provides the necessary structure without being overly heavy.
• Butter: Always opt for unsalted butter. This gives you complete control over the salt content, ensuring your dessert is perfectly balanced. Make sure it’s softened for the best texture in both the pastry and the filling.
• Sugars: This recipe utilizes a trifecta of sugars to achieve perfect sweetness and depth. Icing sugar (powdered sugar) contributes to the tender, melt-in-your-mouth quality of the tart shell, while a combination of brown sugar and white granulated sugar in the frangipane filling adds nuanced sweetness and a lovely caramel note.
• Eggs: Large, free-range eggs are preferred for their rich flavor and binding properties. Ensure they are at room temperature when adding them to the butter and sugar mixtures for optimal emulsification and a smoother texture.
• Almond Meal: Also known as almond flour or ground almonds, this is the star of the frangipane. It’s simply blanched, finely ground almonds, providing that signature nutty flavor and delicate moisture to the filling.
• Flavorings: Pure vanilla extract is essential for its warm, aromatic notes. Complementing this, I use the cozy, inviting flavors of ground cinnamon and a hint of ground ginger, which pair beautifully with apples and almonds. For those who adore an even more pronounced almond essence, feel free to enhance the filling with ½ to 1 teaspoon of almond extract.
• Apples: My personal favorite for this tart is the Granny Smith apple, known for its fantastic balance of tartness and sweetness that truly shines when baked. However, this recipe is highly adaptable. Feel free to experiment with other varieties, or even a delightful combination, such as Pink Lady, Gala, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Jonathan apples. Ensure they are peeled and sliced thinly for even cooking.

2. Blind-Baking for a Perfectly Crisp Crust

Blind-baking is a critical step that ensures your tart shell is perfectly crisp and prevents it from becoming soggy once the filling is added. Start by docking the base of the chilled tart shell; this means pricking it all over with a fork to allow steam to escape and prevent puffing. Next, use a small, sharp knife to carefully trim off any excess pastry overhanging the rim of the tart tin. Line the base of the tart with a sheet of baking or parchment paper, ensuring it covers the sides. Fill this lined shell generously with pie weights, dry rice, or lentils, pressing them firmly against the edges to support the pastry during baking.

Bake the weighted tart shell in a preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes. This initial bake helps set the crust. After this time, carefully remove the baking paper and the weights/rice, then return the tart shell to the oven for an additional 5 minutes. This allows the base to dry out and become golden brown. Once baked, let the tart shell cool on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes before adding the frangipane filling. This cooling period is important to prevent the filling from cooking too quickly on contact with a very hot crust.

Storing Your Delicious Apple Frangipane Tart

To keep any leftover apple frangipane tart at its best, it should be stored properly in the refrigerator. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap or transfer slices to an airtight container to prevent it from drying out or absorbing other odors. It will remain fresh and delicious for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to enjoy another slice, you have a few options: you can certainly serve it chilled, which can be quite refreshing, but I highly recommend warming it slightly in the microwave for 10-20 seconds. Reheating gently brings out the comforting aromas and flavors, making it taste freshly baked. A warm slice with a dollop of cream is pure bliss!

Frangipane is a delightful and simple pastry cream composed primarily of almond meal (finely ground blanched almonds), softened butter, granulated sugar, and eggs. Sometimes, a small amount of flour is added to enhance its texture and stability. It’s a widely popular and versatile filling used in a wide array of French desserts, providing a distinct nutty flavor and moist consistency.

Given its main ingredient, frangipane possesses a wonderfully rich and pronounced almond flavor. It’s nutty, subtly sweet, and has a moist, almost cake-like texture when baked. To further amplify the almond essence, many recipes, including this one, suggest adding a hint of almond extract, which deepens its characteristic taste.

No, frangipane itself is not the same as a Bakewell tart, but it is a crucial component of it! A classic Bakewell tart is a well-loved British dessert that features a pastry shell, a layer of fruit jam (often raspberry), and then a generous topping of frangipane, sometimes adorned with flaked almonds. So, while a Bakewell tart *contains* frangipane, they are distinct entities.

Absolutely! While this recipe specifically highlights apples, the combination of frangipane and fruit is incredibly flexible. Pear slices would work wonderfully as a substitute for apples, offering a slightly different, equally delicious flavor profile. However, if you’re a true pear lover, I also have a dedicated and equally delightful recipe for pear frangipane tart that you might enjoy exploring.

Soggy frangipane is usually a sign of being undercooked. To ensure your frangipane apple tart is perfectly baked, allow it to bake for the full recommended time, typically 50-55 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center feels set and firm to a gentle touch. It’s also vital to ensure your oven is preheated to the correct temperature of 180°C (160°C fan / 350°F) before baking. An accurate oven temperature is key for proper cooking and a beautifully textured frangipane.

Classic Apple Frangipane Tart

TART SHELL – PATE SUCREE (SHORTCRUST PASTRY)

• 
  ▢
  
  
  100
  g
  unsalted butter, softened
  (7 tablespoons / 3.5oz)

• 
  ▢
  
  
  40
  g
  icing sugar (powdered sugar)
  (⅓ cup / 1.4oz)

• 
  ▢
  
  
  1
  large
  egg, room temperature

• 
  ▢
  
  
  225
  g
  plain flour (all purpose flour)

FOR THE FRANGIPANE FILLING

• 
  ▢
  
  
  ¼
  cup
  white granulated sugar
  (50g / 1.8oz)

• 
  ▢
  
  
  ¼
  cup
  light brown sugar
  (50g / 1.8oz)

• 
  ▢
  
  
  113
  g
  unsalted butter, softened
  (1 stick / ½ cup)

• 
  ▢
  
  
  2
  large
  eggs, room temperature

• 
  ▢
  
  
  1
  teaspoon
  
  vanilla extract
  

• 
  ▢
  
  
  95
  g
  almond meal (almond flour/ground almonds)
  (3.3oz / 1 cup)

• 
  ▢
  
  
  1
  tablespoon
  plain flour (all purpose flour)
  (notes 1)

• 
  ▢
  
  
  1 ½
  teaspoons
  ground cinnamon

• 
  ▢
  
  
  ½
  teaspoon
  ground ginger

• 
  ▢
  
  
  2
  granny smith apples, peeled and sliced 3mm thick

• FOR THE TART SHELL:

  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the softened butter and icing sugar. Beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is fully combined, light, and creamy. Add the room-temperature egg and continue to beat on low speed until well incorporated and smooth. If you notice the mixture struggling to combine, a heaped tablespoon of plain flour can be added to assist the process.

• Gradually add the remaining plain flour and beat on low speed just until large clumps of dough begin to form and come together. Be careful not to overmix at this stage.
• Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Gently gather and press it together with your hands to form a smooth ball, being careful not to overwork the dough. Flatten it into a 1-inch thick disk.
• Lightly flour your work surface and the top of the dough. Using a rolling pin, gently and gradually roll the pastry outwards, turning it frequently to prevent sticking, until it reaches an approximate thickness of 4-5mm (⅙ inch) and about 11 inches in diameter.
• To transfer, place your rolling pin across the middle of the dough, then carefully fold one side of the pastry over the top of the rolling pin. Lift the rolling pin, allowing the pastry to drape over it, and gently dust off any excess flour from the underside. Carefully unroll the pastry into a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable base.
• Gently press the dough down into the corners of the pan all the way around, then press it firmly into the scalloped sides. Leave the excess pastry overhanging the edges standing upright. Place the tart pan into the refrigerator to chill for a minimum of 2 hours, or ideally overnight. For a quicker chill, you can place it in the freezer if space allows. This chilling step is essential for a crisp, stable crust.
• PAR-BAKE THE TART SHELL:

  Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) / 350°F.

• Once chilled, use a fork to prick the pastry base all over. This is called docking and prevents the crust from puffing up during baking. Then, use a small, sharp knife to carefully trim off any excess pastry from the edges of the tart pan.
• Line the tart shell with a sheet of baking paper or parchment paper, ensuring it extends up the sides. Fill the lined shell generously with pie weights or dry rice, making sure they are pressed up tightly against the edges to support the pastry.
• Bake for 15 minutes. While it bakes, you can start preparing the frangipane filling.
• After 15 minutes, carefully remove the baking paper and the weights/rice from the tart shell. Return the shell to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes until the base is lightly golden. Set the par-baked tart shell aside and allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes before adding the filling.
• FOR THE FRANGIPANE FILLING:

  In a clean bowl, beat together the white granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and softened butter until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract and beat until well combined.

• Gently fold through the almond meal (almond flour), plain flour, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger until the dry ingredients are just combined into the wet mixture. Be careful not to overmix.