Almond Tart — tarte aux amandes / Bakewell-style frangipane

i. Origin & history

Frangipane was reportedly named for the 17th-century Italian count Frangipani, whose perfume scented gloves became fashionable in Paris. The almond cream that French chefs developed was named in his honour.

ii. Ingredients

Makes 10 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust

• 1 sweet shortcrust pastry, blind-baked in a 23 cm tin
• 150 g unsalted butter, soft
• 150 g caster sugar
• 150 g ground almonds
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp flaked almonds
• Icing sugar to dust

iii. Method

1. Cream butter and sugar 3 min. Beat in eggs one at a time. Fold in ground almonds, flour, vanilla and zest to a smooth frangipane.
2. Spread in the blind-baked tart shell. Scatter flaked almonds.
3. Bake at 170 °C for 30-35 min until golden and just-set.
4. Cool. Dust with icing sugar.

iv. Tips & common mistakes

• Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
• Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
• Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.

v. Variations

Bakewell tart is the British cousin with raspberry jam under the frangipane. Pear-almond tart tops with sliced pears. Pithivier encases frangipane between puff pastry sheets.

vii. More from French

• Bakewell Tart — British almond-jam tart
• Pear Tart — tarte aux poires
• Praline Tart — French praline tart
• Pomegranate Tart — Levantine almond tart
• Financier — brown-butter almond cake
• Ricciarelli — Sienese almond biscuits