Puff Pastry Almond Tarts with Poached Pear

Pies and TartsDesserts
Written By Elliot Styche

A proper Frangipane Pear Tart will always have my heart, but sometimes you want all of that flavour without the pastry work, and that's exactly where these come in. Quick, easy, and just as delicious, these are the kind of thing you can pull together without a second thought.

Bonus? They make an absolutely brilliant breakfast pastry. Move over croissant.

Makes: 6 | Using 1 sheet of store-bought puff pastry

Ingredients

  • 1 sheet store-bought puff pastry

  • 110g unsalted butter, softened

  • 100g caster sugar

  • 1 egg

  • 100g almond flour

  • 20g plain flour

  • 3 poached pears, sliced

  • Handful of flaked almonds

  • 1 egg, lightly beaten (for egg wash)

  • Icing sugar, for dusting

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C fan. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

  2. Cut your puff pastry sheet into 6 equal rectangles and place on the lined tray.

  3. Using a sharp knife, score a border about 1cm in from the edge of each rectangle, being careful not to cut all the way through. This border will puff up and create a beautiful frame around your filling.

  4. Cream the butter and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then fold in the almond flour and plain flour until smooth.

  5. Spoon the frangipane inside the scored border of each pastry rectangle and spread into an even layer.

  6. Arrange the sliced poached pear on top of the frangipane.

  7. Scatter flaked almonds over each tart and brush the pastry border with egg wash.

  8. Bake at 180°C for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is deep golden and the frangipane is set.

  9. Allow to cool slightly before dusting generously with icing sugar to finish.

Elliot's Tips

  • Score but don't cut. That border needs to be scored confidently but keep it shallow, if you cut all the way through the pastry the border won't puff up and you'll lose that beautiful frame.

  • Don't overfill. Keep the frangipane inside the scored border and don't pile it too high, it will spread slightly as it bakes and you want it to stay neat inside the frame.

  • Use your poaching syrup. A light brush of the reduced poaching syrup over the pears before baking adds an extra layer of flavour and a gorgeous colour on the finished tart.

  • These are best served warm. The pastry is at its crispiest straight from the oven with a dusting of icing sugar and a dollop of cream on the side.

  • Pastry brands vary in size. The number of rectangles you get will depend on your sheet, just cut evenly and adjust your frangipane portions accordingly.

Elliot Styche
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Poached Pears