Looking for a tart with a crisp base and creamy almond filling that slices beautifully? The pears bake just enough to hold their shape, releasing a delicate juice that keeps the frangipane moist. A brush of warm marmalade gives the top a glossy finish. It looks intricate, but it comes together in a few simple steps. This recipe joins my other gluten-free pastries.
What is pear frangipane tart?
It’s a pear tart filled with almond frangipane, what the French also call a Bourdaloue tart. In chef Rommel Reyes’s version, the base isn’t a classic sweet pastry crust, but a homemade graham-style cookie crust—gluten-free and vegan—for extra crunch. It’s topped with almond frangipane and thinly sliced D’Anjou pears, which turn golden in the oven and lightly caramelize.
This recipe is gluten-free and lactose-free, and it can also be made vegan with a simple swap in the frangipane. The finished tart is all about three distinct textures: crisp crust, creamy almond filling, and tender pears.
Key ingredients
The crust starts with graham-style cookies ground into very fine crumbs, then mixed with melted plant-based butter. In the homemade version described here, the cookies can also be made with olive oil instead of plant-based butter, and muscovado sugar instead of refined white sugar.
The frangipane is made with almond flour, sugar, salt, a plant-based fat, and a binder (all-purpose gluten-free flour or cornstarch). It should stay creamy and spreadable, so it can be smoothed neatly into the shell before adding the fruit.
There’s a simple reason to use D’Anjou pears: they have tender flesh, gentle sweetness, and they hold their shape well during baking. Other varieties can turn too soft. D’Anjou pears stay green even when ripe, and their smaller size works especially well for tartlets. In the oven, their juice brings just the right amount of moisture to the frangipane.
To finish, the marmalade is loosened with a little water and heated to make a glaze. Then you can choose your final touch: chopped pistachios or a dusting of powdered sugar.
Technical notes and pitfalls to avoid
This recipe is measured by weight, in metric, for accuracy. If you need to adapt it, use a unit converter rather than estimating by eye.
The cookie crust: fine crumbs, firm pressure, and a good chill
Grind the cookies into very fine crumbs, either in a food processor or with a rolling pin. The finer the crumbs, the more evenly the crust will compact without gaps. Add the melted plant-based butter to bind everything together, then press firmly into the bottom and up the sides, keeping the thickness even.
The ideal size is tartlet molds about 10 cm in diameter and 2 cm deep. The crust should be firmly packed, sturdy enough to hold the frangipane and pear slices without collapsing. Before filling, chill it for 15 minutes in the refrigerator or freezer, just until the crumbs are set and firm.
Frangipane: classic method vs. “quick frangipane”
In classic pastry, frangipane is made by creaming softened butter with sugar, then adding the eggs and finally the dry ingredients. Here, for the gluten-free and lactose-free version, Rommel Reyes takes a different approach: everything goes into the bowl and gets whisked together.
You’re aiming for two things: a very smooth, even mixture and a thick, spreadable texture. It should be creamy and easy to spread, not runny. For a vegan version, replace the eggs with 31% plant-based cream or plant-based yogurt.
Pears: slicing, preventing browning, and assembly
Peel the pears, cut them in half, then soak them in water with lemon juice to keep them from browning. Slice them thinly crosswise, keeping the stem end intact so they fan out neatly when you place them.
Spread the frangipane over the cookie crust and smooth it all the way to the edges, without leaving any dry spots. Arrange the pear slices on top, with the stem resting on the edge of the mold.
Baking, cooling, and glazing
Bake at 180 °C for 25-28 minutes. The tart is ready when it’s lightly golden and the pears are just starting to caramelize, while still holding their shape. Let it cool at room temperature.
For the glaze, bring the water and marmalade to a boil, then brush it on while the jam is still hot. That’s when it spreads easily and sets into a glossy finish. Finish with chopped pistachios or powdered sugar, depending on the look you want.
You’ll find all my gluten-free recipes in that same section.
Recipe developed by chef Rommel Reyes. Find his work on Instagram, his Substack newsletter, and his YouTube channel.
Ingredients
- 500 g homemade vegan graham-style crackers
- 250 g lactose-free butter (gluten-free) melted
- 120 g lactose-free butter (gluten-free) softened
- 95 g sugar
- 2 g salt
- 120 g almond flour
- 30 g gluten-free all-purpose flour or cornstarch
- 60 g 31% fat plant-based heavy cream
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 5 D’Anjou pears or other small ripe pears
- 20 g crushed pistachios
- 120 g smooth marmalade
- 20 g water
Instructions
Crumb Crust
- Crush the graham-style crackers into fine crumbs in a food processor or with a rolling pin.
- Mix in the melted lactose-free butter until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
- Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of each tartlet pan (10 cm in diameter and 2 cm deep) to create an even crust.
- Refrigerate or freeze for 15 minutes, until the crust is set and firm.
Almond Frangipane
- Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until smooth and homogeneous.
Assemble the Tartlets
- Peel the pears, cut them in half, then soak them in a mixture of water and lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Slice them thinly crosswise, leaving the stem end intact.
- Spread a layer of almond frangipane over each graham-style crust, smoothing it all the way to the edges.
- Arrange the pear slices over the frangipane, with the stem resting on the edge of the tartlet pan.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes at 180 °C, until lightly golden and the pears are lightly caramelized.
- Let the tartlets cool to room temperature.
- To finish, bring the water and marmalade to a boil, then glaze the tartlets while the marmalade is still hot.
- Sprinkle with crushed pistachios or powdered sugar.
