Lisa Faulkner's pear and frangipane tart recipe

CLICK TO RATE
(40 ratings)

Lisa Faulkner's deliciously sweet pear and frangipane tart is easier to make than you might think and perfect served with whipped cream

Lisa Faulkner's pear and frangipane tart
(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)
Serves4–6
SkillMedium
Preparation Time10 mins
Cooking Time1 hours 50 mins
Total Time2 hours

Lisa Faulkner's deliciously sweet pear and frangipane tart is easier to make than you might think and perfect served with whipped cream. The pears are infused in white wine and presented perfectly along the frangipane, making a seriously impressive dessert recipe.

Ingredients

  • For the pastry
  • 90g caster sugar
  • 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 175g unsalted butter
  • zest ¼ lemon
  • 1 egg

For the filling:

  • 4 pears
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 orange
  • 225g caster sugar
  • 575ml white wine

For the frangipane:

  • 115g butter, softened, at room temperature
  • 115g caster sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 115g ground almonds
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 tbsp flaked almonds, to serve

WEIGHT CONVERTER

to

Method

  1. For the pastry: Tip the flour, sugar, butter and lemon zest into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to form breadcrumbs. Add the egg and pulse again until the pastry just comes together. Shape into a ball, flatten slightly and then chill in the fridge for 30 mins.
  2. Roll out the pastry onto a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about a pound coin and use it to line a 25cm deep tart tin. Allow the pastry to hang over the edge, but push it down into the base and up the side. Prick the base with a fork and transfer to the fridge for 30 mins to firm up. Preheat the oven to 190C/gas mark 5.
  3. Scrunch up some greaseproof paper and place it on top of the pastry base. Fill with baking beans and pop in the oven for 15-20 mins. Remove the paper and beans and return to the oven for 10 mins or so, until the pastry is golden. Leave to cool while you prepare the pears. Use a serrated knife to trim off any excess pastry from around the edge.
  4. For the filling: Peel the pears, put them in a saucepan with all the other ingredients and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover with a circle of greaseproof paper and poach for about 20 mins, until the pears are cooked all the way through but not soft. Leave to cool in the cooking liquid. Preheat the oven to 150C/gas mark 2.
  5. For the frangipane: Beat together the butter and sugar. Beat the eggs into the mixture, adding a little at a time and interspersing with the almonds and flour. If you add the eggs all in one go, the mixture may split. Spoon half the frangipane into the tart shell. Cut the pears in half and arrange on top. Spoon over the rest of the frangipane, smoothing to level, and sprinkle with the flaked almonds. Bake in the oven for 1 hour. Serve while still warm.
Top Tip for making Lisa Faulkner's pear and frangipane tart

This recipe is also a great way of using up a glut of fruit so you can substitute some of the pears for apples or plums instead.

Lisa Faulkner
Celebrity chef

Lisa Faulkner is an actress turned celebrity chef who won series five of the popular BBC TV show, Celebrity Masterchef. Since winning the show in 2010, she has released five cookbooks full of homely recipes that have quickly become family favorites. Born in London, she started modeling at 15 and spent time in Paris before moving on to acting at 16 years old. Lisa went on to star in some of the most well-loved soaps and TV dramas including Holby City, Spooks, and EastEnders. Lisa's cooking and recipes have been inspired by her mother's love for cooking and love for making family dishes that bring everyone together.