Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Almond Frangipane Tart

Almond Frangipane Tart

I've always had a love of almond flavored sweets. It started when I was very little and my father would sometimes come home from work with a little mazipan treat for me. Sometimes on the weekend he would take me to the Elk Candy Company on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It was an old world, European style confectioner with all kinds of lovely sweets to choose from. But I always chose one of the tiny cakes with layers of marzipan and chocolate. Elk Candy is long gone but I've found bakeries with more adult style almond and mazipan pastries to replace them.

Almond Frangipane Tart
I've also found plenty of fancy bakeries here in New York with expensive almond tarts for sale but I've always wanted to make my own and have been collecting and pinning recipes. In addition to the almond filling, I also wanted the crust to have the almond flavor. So I made a standard pate brisee but replaced some of the regular flour with ground almonds. Brian loved it but next time I would also like to try it as a pate sucree (i.e. adding an egg to the dough). Either way, this tart was a huge hit and I got my almond pastry fix. Enjoy!


Ingredients
(adapted from Williams Sonoma)

Crust:
1 Stick unsalted butter, well chilled and cut into 1/2" pieces
3/4 Cup all purpose flour
1/4 Cup ground almonds
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Cup ice water

Filling:
1 Stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
7 oz. Almond paste (not marzipan), cut into 1" pieces
1/4 Cup sugar
2 Eggs
1/3 Cup all purpose flour
1/2 Cup jam (your choice of flavor)

Almond Frangipane Tart
To make the dough, combine the butter, flour, ground almonds, baking powder, salt and sugar in a food processor with a steel blade and pulse just until it resembles course crumbs. Slowly pour in the ice water and pulse just until combined and a dough ball forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

To make the filling, combine the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat until smooth with either an electric or hand mixer.  Beat in the almond paste.  Add the eggs and beat until smooth then stir in the flour.

After the dough has chilled, roll it out on a well-floured surface into about a 10" circle. Drape over a 9" tart pan (preferably one with a removable bottom) and move your rolling pin across the fluted top to cut off the excess dough.  Line the dough with aluminum foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dry beans.  Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, remove from the oven (but leave the oven on) and allow to cool.

When cool, remove the pie weights and foil.  Spread the jam evenly across the bottom of the partially baked tart shell and pour the almond batter evenly over the jam.  Bake for about 40 minutes or until the filling is golden and the middle is firm to the touch.  Allow to cool completely before removing from the tart pan.  Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.  Makes approximately 8 servings.

21 comments:

  1. I'm a recent convert to almond things and I think this tart looks amazinggggg

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  2. Oh my, I love love love almond things. Unfortunately Patrick is NOT. Sadly I don't get to make things like this too often, but I certainly eat them whenever I get the chance!

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  3. I'm a fan of all almond flavored sweets! This looks like it turned out great, Anita! Love the almond flour in the crust too!

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  4. I love almond flavored desserts, there is just something about them and this sounds delightful!

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  5. Doesn't matter if I don't like nuts, I have some appreciative people that do. :D

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  6. I appreciate the fact that you distinguished the difference between almond paste/marzipan...sounds like one beautiful and delicious tart!

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  7. wow this is absolutely fantastic! love it looks great!

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  8. Beautiful! I'm crazy about almond frangipane tarts too, but have them so rarely that they're a definite treat. Keeping this recipe for the next time a craving strikes :)

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  9. YUM! It looks beautiful and I love almond anything!

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  10. This recipe looks so good ~ Reading through it reminded me of your almond cake you made last May ~ I've made it so many times and have never gotten around to blogging about it ~ Got to add to my to-do list :-)

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  11. This looks just stunning. I wish I had a slice to eat after dinner. I love almond everything so this is on my must-make list. Thank you so much for sharing. Delicious, as always...and inspiring! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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  12. Mmmmmm...your tart looks perfect, Anita...and I love your childhood memories that started your love of almond. For me it was the almond in my mom's Danish puff...so yummy!

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  13. I have yet to try my hand at making tarts. Yours looks wonderful. I can almost taste it with a cup of steaming coffee.

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  14. This sounds like a variation of Bakewell Tart, from Bakewell, England, which is a tart filled with a layer of raspberry jam and an almond meal/frangipane filling. I make it every Christmas. So yummy!

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  15. OH this looks stunning! :) I agree with Victoriouseating, this does sound like a Bakewell Tart! I followed you from the Sunflower Supper Club link party and I'd like to invite you to my link party on Tuesdays! I'd love to see you there: http://anyonitanibbles.blogspot.co.uk/p/link-parties.html

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  16. Beautiful tart! I love everything almond! Pinned!

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  17. Lovely! I featuring on Thursday's Treasures Week 81.

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  18. Images and tree products, Argan oil, trees of Staff, the benefits of Argan Oil....

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