Pear Frangipane Tart

Frangipane, an almond cream, is a staple in French baking and is a great base for fruit tarts. I used my usual lard-based crust for this pear tart, which I expect the French would frown on most ardently. They use butter of course.

Ingredients: 

• 3 thinly sliced Bosc pears (use whatever pears/fruit you like)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 and 1/3 cup ground almonds
• about 4 tablespoons of softened butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract
• a couple of tablespoons of jam thinned with water to a spreadable consistency (I used strawberry)
• 1 pie crust 

Methods:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. 

Place your rolled pastry into a pie plate of your choice. I used a 10-inch pan with a removable bottom. Combine the sugar, almonds, butter, eggs and extract well then spread the mixture evenly over the pastry in the pan. Slice the pears thinly and fan out the slices as you place them on top of the almond filling. Brush the top of the filling with the thinned jam. 

I forgot to time the baking of this tart but basically continue baking until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is firm. A toothpick placed in the almond base should come out clean.

Two things to note:

I used whole ground almonds (with skin on) which means the frangipane is darker than it would be if made by the French. Also, they would no doubt blind-bake the pastry prior to adding the filling to bake. Let's describe my tart as rustic.