Description
This Pear & Cardamom Tart combines a crisp, buttery sweet shortcrust pastry base with a fragrant cardamom-infused frangipane filling and tender, juicy pears. Toasted flaked almonds add a delightful crunch and a drizzle of honey at serving time enhances the natural sweetness, making it an elegant dessert perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry
- 500g sweet shortcrust pastry
- plain flour, for dusting
Fruit
- 4 small ripe pears
- squeeze lemon juice
- drizzle of honey (for serving)
Frangipane Filling
- 200g butter, softened
- 200g caster sugar
- 140g ground almonds
- 100g self-raising flour
- 50g toasted flaked almonds, plus a few extra for sprinkling
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Prepare the Pastry: Roll out the sweet shortcrust pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is large enough to line an 18 x 28cm tart tin or a 23cm round tart tin. Carefully lift the pastry into the tin, allowing any excess pastry to hang over the edges. Prick the base with a fork, place the tin on a baking sheet, and chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Blind Bake the Pastry: Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6. Line the chilled pastry shell with baking parchment and fill with baking beans to prevent it from puffing up. Bake blind for 15 minutes. Then, remove the baking beans and parchment, and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the pastry is dry and biscuit-like. Reduce the oven temperature to 160C/140C fan/gas mark 3. Trim any excess pastry from the edges of the tart shell.
- Make the Cardamom Frangipane: In a mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, caster sugar, ground almonds, self-raising flour, toasted flaked almonds, ground cardamom, and eggs using an electric whisk until smooth and well combined. This will create a fragrant and nutty frangipane filling.
- Prepare the Pears: Peel the pears, then halve and core them. Use a melon baller or small spoon to scoop out the core if desired. Brush the pear halves with a little lemon juice to prevent browning and enhance flavor.
- Assemble the Tart: Spoon and spread the cardamom frangipane evenly into the baked pastry shell. Arrange the prepared pear halves on top of the frangipane, gently pressing them into the filling. Scatter a few more flaked almonds over the pears for added texture.
- Bake the Tart: Place the tart in the preheated oven at 160C/140C fan/gas mark 3 and bake for 50 minutes, or until the frangipane filling has risen, turned golden, and feels firm to the touch.
- Serve: Allow the tart to cool slightly. Serve warm or cold, drizzled with a little honey to enhance sweetness and add a glossy finish.
Notes
- For the best cardamom flavor, crush green cardamom pods with a rolling pin, collect the seeds, and finely grind them yourself instead of using pre-ground cardamom.
- Blind baking the pastry ensures it stays crisp and does not become soggy from the wet frangipane filling.
- You can substitute self-raising flour with all-purpose flour and 1½ teaspoons baking powder if unavailable.
- Use ripe but firm pears to maintain shape and texture during baking.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: European
Keywords: pear tart, cardamom tart, frangipane tart, almond tart, baked dessert, sweet tart
