Pear frangipane tart

Growing up in France, I remember when my family would go to our country home in Normandy to escape the chaos of Paris. One of my favorite thing there was beside going to the beach and fish for shrimps, mussels and even dover sole (flat fish), the backyard. First, I must say my french grandparents spoiled us. The house in Normandy had a backyard though it was more like a verger, we had apple trees, hazelnut trees and a cherry tree. I have found memories of climbing the ladder and helping my grandfather collect the fresh hazelnuts from the branches. I speculate my love for nuts and fresh fruits was instilled by my grandmother. She was from Périgord, a region known for walnuts, foie gras de canard, black truffle...  Each year, our family ate fresh walnuts from Périgord, then in the summer and fall, we would enjoy fresh hazelnuts. Then through winter, we would keep busy making homemade apple compote from all the apples collected at the end of summer and throughout the fall.

Though besides walnuts and hazelnuts, I learned at a young age to love almonds though mostly in the form of "frangipane" a sweet filling to many traditional french treats: pear and frangipane tart, galette des rois, and almond at its finest in decadent macarons.

My spouse who also grew up in France though in Auvergne, finds almonds to be his sweet sin. He enjoys anything with almonds. Hence, his insisting request that I bake often italian almond tarts, pear and frangipane tarts and galette des rois.

This recipe requires a basic tart dough known in France as "pâte sablée"

Basic Tart Dough (for one 24 cm (9 1/2") tart)

Ingredients:

1 large egg yolk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp ice water (more if needed)
1/3 cup sugar (90g)
1 1/4 cups all purpose unbleached flour (200g)
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter (125g) (cut into small pieces

In a small bowl, mix together the egg yolk, ice cold water and vanilla (set aside). In a larger bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, then add the butter cut into pieces. Using your hands, mix the dry ingredients with the butter until the texture resembles coarse meals (like small peas). Then add the wet ingredients mixture. Using your hands, mix the dough together and add more water if needed until dough pulls together.

Tips: you can use dough right away or chill dough for easier rolling.
Note: I don't care for much sugar, so I scale back on the sugar and only use 1/4 cup.

Blind bake the tart shell at 375 fahrenheit degrees for about 20 minutes.

Filling

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups almond flour (raw unblanched almond finely ground)
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp pure almond extract
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp dark rum
1/4 tsp salt
2-3 Anjou or Bartlett pears riped, peeled, halved and cored.
1/3 cup apricot jam
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Melt the butter then let it cool. In a bowl, mix together the almond flour, sugar, then add the eggs, vanilla and almond extracts, rum and melted butter. Stir together. Spread the frangipane in the partially baked tart. Then slice your pears, keeping the pear slices together. Using a knife, lift the sliced pear halves and transfer to the tart shell. Arrange the halves (core side down, stem end toward the center of the pan) (see pictures). Using your hand, press slightly the slices into the filling. Bake the tart (375 fahrenheit degrees) until the filling is slightly golden and seems firm to the touch (about 40-45 minutes).

Following is optional (I don't find it necessary). Let the tart cool. In a saucepan over low heat, heat the jam until it liquefies. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the tart with the jam (thin coating), it will make it shine.

Notes: I actually cut back on the sugar and the egg. I tend to use large brown eggs so I don't need 2 and as I often make my tart dough same day I make this tart, I use the white left over from it and add it with 1 egg. I also use 1/4-1/3 cup sugar instead of 2/3 cup. Last, instead of rum, I use Amaretto (italian almond flavored liquor).