French food seems a bit daunting to make, but it’s good to know it doesn’t always have to be complicated. The almond paste in this recipe is called frangipane and it is a popular ingredient in many French desserts. It is made by mixing almond meal with butter, eggs and sugar. For this recipe you could use other fruits, like plums, figs, apples etc and you can use a pre-made pie shell or your own pastry.
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- 1 shortbread type pie shell or this recipe
- 1 large can of pear halves, cut into slices
- 6 Tbsp butter softened
- 1/2 c sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 c almond meal
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 2 Tbsp pear brandy (optional)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF)
Fit the pie shell/pastry to a 10 inch or tart pan. Prick the bottom a dozen times with a fork and place in freezer for at least 20 minutes (this helps the crust to keep its shape when baking).
Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time and then the almond meal and flour, then mix in the brandy.
Remove the tart shell from the freezer and spread the batter evenly on it. Arrange the pear slices on top pushing them lightly into the batter. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar and bake for 30 minutes.
This recipe is highly enhanced by serving with chocolate sauce. Original recipe from here.
