About Pear Tart
There’s something irresistibly delicious about the Pear Frangipane Tart or, as the French call it, tarte Bourdaloue—a classic dessert that combines almond frangipane with the delicate sweetness of fresh pears.
Every component of the tart, from the homemade graham cracker crust to the rich almond frangipane and juicy D’Anjou pears, comes together beautifully, making the dessert look good and taste great.
We will modify the original recipe to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan by making a few substitutions.
A Blend of Flavors and Textures
This gluten-free Pear Frangipane Tart is made up of three main elements:
1. A homemade gluten free vegan graham cracker crust serves as the crunchy base. The crackers are lightly spiced with cinnamon, made with olive oil instead of dairy-free butter and muscovado sugar instead of white processed sugar.
2. An almond frangipane filling that brings out a nutty-sweet flavor to the dessert.
3. Slices of fresh D’Anjou pears are perfectly baked to enhance their sweetness and texture.
The tart features various textures—crisp, creamy, and tender pear—creating a delightful mouthfeel in every bite.
Why D’Anjou Pears?
D’Anjou pears are the star of this gluten-free pear frangipane tart. They have tender flesh, light sweetness, and the ability to hold their shape when baked.
Unlike some pear varieties that can become overly soft, D’Anjou pears maintain their integrity, making them ideal for a tart. Their natural juices infuse the frangipane with just the right amount of moisture.
Anjou pears remain green as they ripen, unlike Bartletts, which turn yellow when ripe. Their small size also makes them ideal for smaller pear tartlets.
Frangipane: The Creamy Almond Filling
Made with ground almonds, butter, sugar, eggs, and cornstarch, frangipane has a creamy, spreadable consistency and a rich, nutty flavor that perfectly complements the sweetness of the pears.
In conventional baking, frangipane is made by creaming soft butter with sugar first, then adding eggs and dry ingredients.
For this gluten and dairy free frangipane, all ingredients are mixed and then whipped until thoroughly combined and forms a thick batter. It’s a technique I called “Quick Frangipane”.
To make the recipe vegan, replace the eggs with dairy free heavy cream or non dairy yoghurt.
Substitution Table
| Original Ingredients | Substitute With |
|---|---|
| Homemade Vegan Graham Cracker | S’moreables Graham Style Crackers (DF/GF) |
| Flora Heavy Cream 31% fat | Silk or Califia Farm Heavy Cream (GF/DF) |
| Flora+ Plant Butter | Violife Unsalted Plant Butter |
| D’Anjou pears | Any Pear variety (Ripe) |
| Marmalade glaze | Clear Fruit Glaze (No Gelatin, No Jam) |
Process Steps
Graham Cracker Crust
- Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs using a food processor or rolling pin. Mix in melted dairy free butter to bind the crumbs.
- Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom and sides of each tartlet tin (10 cm diameter, 2 cm deep) for even thickness. The crust should be compact enough to hold under the frangipane and pear slices.
- Chill or freeze for 15 minutes to set and harden the crumbs.
Almond Frangipane
- Quick frangipane technique: combine all ingredients in a large bowl and whip until it forms a thick batter.
Assembling the Tartlets
- Peel the pears, cut them in halves then soak the peeled pears in a water-lemon juice solution to prevent browning. Slice them thinly across, leaving the end with the stalk intact.
- Spread a layer of almond frangipane on each graham cracker crust, smoothing it to the edges.
- Arrange the pear slices over the frangipane with the stalk on the edge of the tart tin.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes at 180 °C until lightly golden and slightly caramelized pears. Let the tartlets cool at room temperature.
- For finishing touches, boil water and marmalade jam, then glaze over tartlets while the jam is warm. Sprinkle with crushed pistachios or with powdered sugar.
Gluten Free Pear Frangipane Tart
Equipment
- Digital scale
- Hand mixer
- Tartlet tins 4 Inch with removable bottom
Ingredients
Crumb Crust
- 500 g homemade vegan graham cracker or S’moreables Graham Style Crackers
- 250 g dairy free butter (GF) melted
Almond Frangipane
- 120 g dairy free butter (GF) softened
- 95 g sugar
- 2 g salt
- 120 g almond flour
- 30 g all-purpose gluten free flour or cornstarch
- 60 g non-dairy heavy cream 31%
- 2 large eggs room temp
Other Ingredients
- 5 pcs D'anjou pears or other small ripe pears
- 20 g crushed pistachios
- 120 g marmalade jam , smooth
- 20 g water
Instructions
Crumb Crust
- Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs using a food processor or rolling pin. Mix in melted dairy free butter to bind the crumbs.
- Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom and sides of each tartlet tin (10 cm diameter, 2 cm deep) for even thickness. The crust should be compact enough to hold under the frangipane and pear slices.
- Chill or freeze for 15 minutes to set and harden the crumbs.
Almond Frangipane
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and whip until smooth and fully incorporated.
Assembling the Tartlets
- Peel the pears, cut them in halves then soak the peeled pears in a water-lemon juice solution to prevent browning. Slice them thinly across, leaving the end with the stalk intact.
- Spread a layer of almond frangipane on each graham cracker crust, smoothing it to the edges.
- Arrange the pear slices over the frangipane with the stalk on the edge of the tart tin.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes at 180 °C until lightly golden and slightly caramelized pears. Let the tartlets cool at room temperature.
- To finish, boil water and marmalade jam, then glaze the tartlets while the jam is warm. Sprinkle with crushed pistachios or powdered sugar.
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