Apricot Frangipane Tart (Easy French Recipe)

This apricot frangipane tart pairs a crisp, buttery pastry crust with soft almond filling and juicy apricots. Elegant yet easy to prepare, it is a beautiful French dessert for any occasion.

There are days when I feel ready to create a magnificent French pastry, the kind that requires three mixing bowls, several hours, and the emotional stability of a contestant on a baking show. Today is not one of those days.

Five children have taught me that a truly useful dessert recipe must be delicious, forgiving, and completely unbothered by interruptions. If it can also emerge from the oven looking elegant while I take most of the credit, even better.

This apricot almond tart is my secret weapon for precisely those moments. It takes only about 15 minutes to prepare, uses simple ingredients, and comes out of the oven looking beautifully French. Most importantly, it is genuinely worth the calories. Because if I am going to eat butter, sugar, and almonds, the result had better be excellent. A French woman can compromise on many things. Dessert is not one of them.

Why You'll Love This Apricot Frangipane Tart

• It requires only about 15 minutes of preparation.
• Canned apricots make it possible to enjoy all year long.
• The almond filling is rich, soft, and wonderfully fragrant.
• A store-bought pastry crust keeps the recipe quick and easy.
• It looks elegant without requiring any special decorating skills.
• It works equally well for a family dessert, afternoon coffee, or a dinner party.

What Is an Apricot Frangipane Tart?

Known in France as tarte amandine aux abricots, this classic French apricot tart consists of a pastry crust filled with a soft almond cream and topped with apricot halves.

Strictly speaking, a French pastry chef might call this filling crème d'amande, or almond cream. In American and British baking, however, the word frangipane is commonly used for this type of buttery almond filling. Whatever name we give it, it is delicious, and that is the most important technical detail as far as I am concerned.

The tart is especially lovely because the slightly tangy apricots balance the richness of the almond cream filling. The fruit sinks gently into the filling as it bakes, creating a dessert that is moist and tender inside with a lightly golden top.

Ingredients You'll Need

The complete quantities are included in the recipe card below.

• Butter: Let it soften at room temperature so it blends easily with the sugar.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the almond filling.
• Eggs: Give the filling its soft, cake-like texture.
• Crème fraîche: Adds richness and a very slight tang. Full-fat sour cream can be used if crème fraîche is unavailable.
• Almond flour: Use finely ground blanched almond flour for the smoothest filling.
• All-purpose flour: A small amount helps stabilize the almond cream.
• Almond extract: Almond extract is quite strong, so use only a few drops. If you do not already have some, it is well worth buying a bottle. I use it in many of my baking recipes, and even a small amount adds so much flavor.
• Vanilla extract: Softens and rounds out the almond flavor.
• Pastry crust: For the best flavor, choose a refrigerated or frozen pie crust that contains real butter, and check the ingredient list because many store-bought crusts are made only with shortening or oils. Trader Joe's frozen pie crust is a good convenient option. You can also use a homemade all-butter shortcrust pastry.
• Canned apricot halves: Drain them thoroughly and pat them dry before placing them on the tart.
• Sliced almonds and powdered sugar: Optional, but highly recommended for an elegant finish.

Canned or Fresh Apricots?

I usually prepare this canned apricot tart with apricot halves packed in syrup. They are convenient, consistently sweet, and available throughout the year. More importantly, there is no peeling, pitting, or negotiating with fruit that looked ripe at the store but apparently changed its mind on the way home.

Drain the apricots thoroughly, then gently pat them dry with paper towels. Removing the excess syrup helps prevent the almond filling from becoming watery.

Fresh apricots can also be used when they are perfectly ripe. For the texture of the original French recipe, poach them briefly in a light sugar syrup, then allow them to cool and dry before arranging them over the filling.

How to Make Apricot Frangipane Tart

1. Prepare the oven and tart pan

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). I used a 28 cm (11-inch) tart pan with a removable bottom, but a slightly smaller pan will work just as well and will produce a thicker tart. Line the pan with the pastry crust, gently press it against the bottom and sides, then prick the base several times with a fork. If using a smaller pan, the thicker filling may require a few additional minutes in the oven.

2. Make the almond filling

Beat the softened butter and sugar together until creamy. Add the eggs, crème fraîche, all-purpose flour, almond flour, almond extract, and vanilla. Beat again until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined.

3. Assemble the tart

Spread the almond filling evenly inside the unbaked pastry crust. Arrange the drained apricot halves over the filling, gently pressing them into the surface.

4. Bake

Bake for approximately 25 minutes. Begin checking the tart after 15 minutes because oven temperatures can vary. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.

The tart is ready when the almond filling is set and lightly golden.

5. Decorate and serve

Allow the tart to cool before removing it from the pan. Finish it with toasted sliced almonds and a light dusting of powdered sugar, if desired.

Tips for the Best Apricot Almond Tart

• Make sure the butter is properly softened before mixing the filling.
• Drain and dry the apricots carefully so they do not release too much liquid.
• Almond extract is strong, so use only a few drops.
• Watch the tart closely toward the end of baking because the almond filling can brown quickly.
• A tart pan with a removable bottom makes the finished tart much easier to release and gives it a clean, bakery-style appearance.

How to Serve It

Serve this French apricot almond tart at room temperature or very slightly warm. It is delicious on its own, but a spoonful of crème fraîche, lightly whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream would not be refused.

It is lovely with coffee or tea and elegant enough to serve after dinner. Personally, I also consider a leftover slice an entirely respectable breakfast. It contains fruit and almonds, so I have already constructed my defense.

How to Store Apricot Frangipane Tart

Once completely cool, cover the tart and store it in the refrigerator for up to three days. For the best flavor and texture, let individual slices sit at room temperature for approximately 15 minutes before serving.

An Easy French Dessert for Any Occasion

This easy apricot tart is proof that a dessert does not need to be complicated to look impressive. The golden almond filling, tender apricots, and buttery crust make it just as suitable for entertaining as it is for rescuing an ordinary afternoon.

If you love the soft almond filling in this tart, try my Pear Frangipane Tart next. It combines tender pears, buttery pâte sablée, and the same wonderfully fragrant almond cream. Apparently, the French have never met a fruit they could not improve with butter and almonds.

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Apricot Frangipane Tart (Easy French Recipe)

This apricot frangipane tart pairs juicy apricots with a soft almond cream filling and a buttery pastry crust for an easy, elegant French dessert.

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Keyword Apricot Frangipane Tart

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 390kcal

Author Sophie Coleman

Cost $1.38 per serving

Ingredients

• 100 g 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 125 g ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon crème fraîche
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 100 g approximately 1 cup finely ground almond flour
• 2 to 3 drops almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 all-butter pastry crust homemade or store-bought, large enough for a 28 cm (11-inch) tart pan
• 1 large can approximately 820 g (29 ounces), apricot halves in syrup, thoroughly drained and patted dry
• Sliced almonds optional
• Powdered sugar optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Add the eggs, crème fraîche, all-purpose flour, almond flour, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Beat again until smooth and evenly combined.
• Line a 28 cm (11-inch) tart pan with the pastry crust. Press it gently against the bottom and sides of the pan, then prick the base several times with a fork.
• Spread the almond filling evenly over the unbaked pastry crust.
• Arrange the drained and dried apricot halves over the almond filling, pressing them gently into the surface.
• Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the almond filling is set and lightly golden. Begin checking the tart after 15 minutes. If it browns too quickly, loosely cover the top with aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.
• Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar. If using sliced almonds, toast them briefly in a dry skillet until lightly golden, then sprinkle them over the tart before serving.