This Pear Frangipane Tart is a classic French pear almond tart made with homemade pâte sablée, almond cream, and tender pears. Also known as Tarte Bourdaloue, it is elegant, buttery, and perfect for an easy but impressive French dessert.
This pear frangipane tart is the recipe you want to keep close. Very close.
This is your dessert SOS recipe. Your "people are coming over and I have no emotional space for a complicated dessert" recipe. Your "I want it to look like I casually own a tiny French bakery" recipe.
And the best part? It delivers every time.
Jump to:
- The French Dessert SOS Recipe You'll Make Again and Again
- A Classic French Pear Tart with a Parisian Name
- Why You'll Love This Pear Frangipane Tart
- Canned Pears or Fresh Pears?
- Tips for the Best Pear Almond Tart
- Can You Make It Ahead?
- How to Store Pear Frangipane Tart
- What to Serve with Pear Frangipane Tart
- A Simple French Dessert Worth Keeping
- Pear Frangipane Tart - French Tarte Bourdaloue
The French Dessert SOS Recipe You'll Make Again and Again
Very little effort. Maximum results. A buttery tart crust, soft almond cream, tender pears, and suddenly everyone thinks you have been calmly baking all afternoon instead of panic-cleaning the kitchen and hiding things in random drawers.
For the crust, I use my homemade pâte sablée, and truly, it makes such a difference. It is quick to make, ridiculously delicious, and makes the whole tart taste like it came from a French bakery instead of a kitchen where someone is probably asking me for a snack every seven minutes.
And honestly, when I can have the pride of saying "yes, I made the whole dessert from scratch" without spending the entire day flour-covered and questioning my life choices, I am absolutely saying yes.
It is elegant, delicious, and ridiculously reliable. The kind of French pear tart that makes your friends ask for the recipe before they even finish their slice.
This one is a keeper.
A Classic French Pear Tart with a Parisian Name
This pear frangipane tart is the kind of dessert you will find in French bakeries: a crisp, buttery tart crust filled with soft almond cream, topped with tender pears, and baked until golden.
In France, it is called tarte amandine aux poires, or more traditionally, Tarte Bourdaloue. "Amandine" refers to the almond filling, and "poires" means pears. In English, you may know it as a pear frangipane tart, French pear almond tart, or simply a pear tart with almond cream.
The name Tarte Bourdaloue comes from Rue Bourdaloue, a street in the 9th arrondissement of Paris where the tart is said to have been created in the 19th century. So yes, this dessert is basically named after a Parisian street, which feels very appropriate. Some streets get traffic. Some get a pear almond tart. Life is unfair, but delicious.
Technically, French pastry chefs may make a distinction between almond cream and frangipane, but in everyday baking, this is exactly the soft, fragrant almond filling people expect from a good pear frangipane tart recipe.
Whatever you call it, it is one of those wonderfully reliable French desserts: simple ingredients, elegant presentation, and a flavor combination that just works. Pears and almonds are a love story. A very buttery one.
Why You'll Love This Pear Frangipane Tart
This is one of my favorite French desserts because it has the perfect effort-to-wow-factor ratio.
- It looks elegant, but it is not difficult. You do not need to make caramel. You do not need to stack layers. You do not need to whisper encouraging words to egg whites and hope they behave.
- You make a simple almond cream, spread it into a tart crust, place pears on top, and bake.
That is it. - And yet, when it comes out of the oven, it looks beautiful. The almond filling puffs gently around the pears, the crust turns golden, and the whole kitchen smells like butter, almonds, and French bakery dreams.
- This is also the tart I like for last-minute dessert situations. Friends staying for dinner? Pear frangipane tart. Need something pretty for Sunday lunch? Pear frangipane tart. It is 7 p.m. and you suddenly decide dinner deserves a dessert because life is short and everyone has been dramatic today? Pear frangipane tart.
- It is simple, elegant, and almost impossible to mess up.
Believe me, I have tested this under very realistic conditions: children interrupting, someone touching everything, an oven with a personality disorder. Still delicious.
Canned Pears or Fresh Pears?
For the easiest version, use canned or jarred pear halves in syrup.
This may not sound as romantic as lovingly poaching fresh pears while gazing out a kitchen window in Normandy, but it works beautifully. The pears are tender, evenly shaped, and ready to use. Just drain them very well before placing them on the tart.
I like to set them on paper towels for a few minutes so they do not bring too much syrup into the almond cream.
Fresh pears are delicious too, especially in season. Choose pears that are ripe but still firm. Bartlett, Bosc, or Anjou pears can all work well.
If your pears are very firm, you can poach them first. But honestly, if you are looking for a quick and elegant almond pear tart, the canned pear version is your friend. A very practical friend. The kind who shows up on time and brings dessert plates.
Tips for the Best Pear Almond Tart
- Use softened butter, not melted butter. This helps create a smooth, creamy almond filling.
- Drain the pears very well. Too much syrup can make the tart too wet.
- Do not go wild with almond extract. A few drops are enough to bring out the almond flavor without making the tart taste like a scented candle.
- Use a tart pan with a removable bottom if you have one. It makes the tart much easier to unmold and gives it that beautiful French bakery look. Just remember to butter the pan well. We want a clean release, not a pastry-related tragedy.
- Let the tart cool before slicing. I know this is annoying because warm almond cream smells like happiness, but the filling needs a little time to set.
- For extra texture and decoration, you can sprinkle sliced almonds over the tart before baking.
Can You Make It Ahead?
Yes, this pear frangipane tart can be made ahead.
It is a wonderful dessert for entertaining because it does not need to be served straight from the oven. You can bake it earlier in the day and let it cool at room temperature.
Dust it with powdered sugar just before serving so it looks fresh and pretty.
This tart can be served at room temperature or slightly warm. I love it slightly warm, when the almond filling is soft and fragrant, but room temperature is perfect too.
How to Store Pear Frangipane Tart
Store the tart covered at room temperature on the day you make it.
For longer storage, keep it in the refrigerator. Let it come back to room temperature before serving, or warm individual slices gently.
The crust is best the first day, but leftovers are still very good the next day. Especially with coffee.
Actually, leftover pear frangipane tart with coffee may be one of the best arguments for making this recipe in the first place.
What to Serve with Pear Frangipane Tart
This French pear almond tart is delicious on its own, but you can serve it with whipped cream, crème fraîche, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
It is also lovely with coffee or tea.
And if you want to feel very French, serve it in thin slices and act like you definitely did not cut yourself a tiny extra piece in the kitchen before bringing it to the table.
That piece does not count. It is quality control.
A Simple French Dessert Worth Keeping
Whether you call it Pear Frangipane Tart, Tarte Bourdaloue, French Pear Tart, French Pear Almond Tart, or tarte amandine aux poires, this is the kind of recipe you will want to make again.
It is elegant enough for guests, easy enough for a last-minute dessert, and delicious enough that nobody will care how simple it was.
If you are in a French tart mood - which is a very respectable mood to be in - you should also try my Tarte Normande (French Apple Tart from Normandy). Same buttery crust situation, same cozy French dessert magic, different fruit. We support variety. Especially when it involves tart crust.
The full recipe is right below. And if you make this pear frangipane tart, please leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - it means the world to me and helps more people find my recipes!
Pear Frangipane Tart - French Tarte Bourdaloue
Ingredients
For the pâte sablée crust
- 250 g all-purpose flour, about 2 cups
- 100 g powdered sugar, about ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon (or regular white sugar)
- 3 level tbsp almond flour
- 1 large pinch of salt
- 125 g butter, slightly softened at room temperature, about 9 tablespoons, NOT MELTED, NOT LIQUID
- 1 egg
For The Filling
- 100 g (7 tbsp) softened butter
- 125 g (⅔ cup) sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon crème fraîche or sour cream
- 100 g (1 cup) almond flour
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 or 3 drops bitter almond extract
- 6 pear halves in syrup, well drained (or 3 big ripe fresh pears)
- Powdered sugar, optional, for serving
Instructions
For the pâte sablée crust
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, almond flour, powdered sugar or regular sugar, and salt.
- Add the softened butter, not melted or liquid, cut into small pieces. Rub the mixture with your fingertips until you get a fine, sandy texture.
- Add the egg and mix quickly by hand. Form a ball as soon as possible. The dough will be very sticky, and that is normal. Wrap it and place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, 1 hour is even better, or make the dough the day before.
For the filling
- Roll out the pâte sablée with a rolling pin on a lightly floured work surface to prevent it from sticking too much. You can also roll it out on a sheet of parchment paper. If the dough is too sticky, form it back into a ball, flour the work surface again, and roll it out once more. Place the dough into a previously buttered tart pan and prick the dough with a fork.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, or 350°F.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs, crème fraîche, 2 tablespoons flour, almond flour, and 2 to 3 drops of bitter almond extract. Beat again until smooth and well combined.
- Pour the almond mixture over the crust.
- Slice the pears, if desired, and gently press the top of the pears with a tart server or spatula to fan them out slightly. Transfer the pears using the tart server or spatula, then gently press them into the almond mixture.
- Bake for about 30 minutes at 350°F / 180°C. Cover with aluminum foil toward the end of baking if the tart browns too quickly. Dust with powdered sugar for a pretty presentation.
Notes
- Crème fraîche substitute: Sour cream works well here. Since the recipe only uses a small amount, it will not noticeably change the flavor or texture of the tart.
- Pears: Canned or jarred pear halves in syrup make this recipe quick and reliable. Drain them very well before using, and pat them dry with paper towels if needed so they do not add too much moisture to the almond filling.
- Fresh pears: You can use fresh pears, but choose pears that are ripe and sweet while still firm enough to hold their shape.
- Almond extract: Use only 2 or 3 drops. Almond extract is very strong, and a little goes a long way.
- Tart pan: A tart pan with a removable bottom makes the tart much easier to unmold and gives it a beautiful presentation.
- Make ahead: This tart can be made earlier in the day and served at room temperature or slightly warm.
- Storage: Store covered at room temperature the day you make it. For longer storage, keep it in the refrigerator and bring it back to room temperature before serving.
