Irresistible Plum Frangipane Tart Recipe: Sweet Summer Bliss

Plum frangipane tarts blend rich almond elegance with vibrant fruity sweetness in a delightful culinary creation.

Pastry chefs adore this classic dessert for its sophisticated yet approachable profile.

Crisp buttery pastry cradles a silky smooth almond cream, creating a harmonious base for juicy seasonal stone fruits.

Delicate layers of flavor intertwine, offering a luxurious texture that melts effortlessly on your palate.

The nutty undertones complement the fruit’s natural brightness, resulting in a balanced and refined experience.

Rustic yet elegant, this tart reimagines simple ingredients into an extraordinary dessert that feels both comforting and indulgent.

Each slice promises a symphony of textures and flavors that will transport you to a French countryside kitchen.

Plum Frangipane Tart Flavor Journey

• Craft Elegant Pastry: Experience the art of creating a delicate sweet shortcrust pastry that melts in your mouth, with a perfectly balanced texture that's both crisp and tender.
• Showcase Seasonal Plum Brilliance: Elevate your dessert with beautifully arranged plum slices that create a stunning spiral pattern, bringing a burst of fresh, vibrant flavor and gorgeous visual appeal to the tart.
• Transform Simple Ingredients: Discover how basic pantry staples like butter, eggs, and almonds can be transformed into an extraordinary frangipane filling that's rich, creamy, and deeply satisfying, with a subtle hint of lemon and almond extract to tantalize your taste buds.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Plum Frangipane Tart

• Flour: Fine white flour for a delicate, tender pastry base.
• Icing Sugar: Adds subtle sweetness and helps with golden color.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances sweetness.
• Lemon Zest: Provides bright, citrusy undertone to pastry.
• Butter: Cold and unsalted for rich, flaky texture.
• Egg: Binds ingredients and adds richness.
• Ice-Cold Water: Helps create a smooth, pliable dough.

• Butter: Creamy base for smooth, rich filling.
• Sugar: Sweetens and helps create light texture.
• Lemon Zest: Adds subtle citrus brightness.
• Eggs: Provide structure and richness to filling.
• Almond Meal: Primary flavor and texture component.
• Flour: Helps bind and stabilize filling.
• Salt: Balances sweetness.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds depth of flavor.
• Almond Extract: Intensifies nutty almond profile.

• Plums: Fresh, ripe fruit for vibrant color and sweet-tart flavor.
• Honey: Glazes and adds shine to baked plums.
• Thyme Leaves: Optional herb for subtle aromatic garnish.
• Milk: Used in egg wash for golden sheen.

Baking Instructions for Plum Frangipane Tart

Step 1: Create Pastry Crumble

Sift dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Add lemon zest and cold butter cubes. Use fingertips to gently rub butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with tiny butter chunks.

Step 2: Form Pastry Dough

Create a small well in flour mixture’s center. Pour egg into the well. Use a fork to gradually incorporate egg. Add water sparingly, using hands to bring dough together. Avoid overworking the mixture.

Step 3: Chill Pastry Dough

Shape pastry into a smooth disc on a lightly floured surface. Wrap completely in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for one hour to allow ingredients to rest and butter to solidify.

Step 4: Roll And Prepare Tart Shell

Remove chilled dough and let sit for 10 minutes. Roll out to coin-thickness (⅛ inch) into a 12-inch circle. Carefully transfer to a 9-inch tart tin. Press gently into corners and edges. Trim excess pastry. Refrigerate again for one hour.

Step 5: Blind Bake Pastry Shell

Preheat oven to 350°F. Dock pastry base with fork. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights, brush with egg wash. Bake additional 7-10 minutes until golden.

Step 6: Prepare Frangipane Filling

• Butter
• Sugar
• Lemon zest

• Almond meal
• Flour
• Salt
• Vanilla extract
• Almond extract

Step 7: Arrange Plum Topping

Halve and thinly slice plums. Arrange slices in a beautiful spiral pattern over frangipane filling. Start from outer edge, working inward.

Step 8: Bake And Finish Tart

Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes until filling sets and turns golden brown. Remove from oven. Brush plums with warmed honey. Optionally sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.

Step 9: Serve And Enjoy

Allow tart to cool slightly. Slice and serve at room temperature. Perfect for elegant dessert or afternoon tea.

Expert Tips for a Perfect Tart Finish

• Chill Pastry Perfectly: Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour to ensure a flaky, tender crust that won't shrink during baking.
• Prevent Soggy Bottom: Blind baking creates a protective barrier, keeping the crust crisp and preventing moisture from seeping into the pastry.
• Slice Plums Uniformly: Cut plums thinly and consistently to create an elegant, professional-looking spiral design on top of the tart.
• Balance Flavor Layers: Brush warmed honey over the baked tart to add a glossy finish and enhance the natural sweetness of the plums.
• Maximize Almond Essence: Use fresh almond extract and high-quality almond meal to intensify the rich, nutty flavor of the frangipane filling.

Keeping Your Tart Fresh

• Refrigeration: Store leftover tart in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Cover the tart loosely with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out or absorbing other flavors.
• Reheating: Warm individual slices in the oven at 160°C (325°F) for 5-7 minutes to restore the pastry's crispness and revive the filling's texture. Avoid using the microwave, as it can make the crust soggy.
• Freezing: Wrap the cooled tart tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and gently reheat before serving to maintain its delicate texture.

Pairing Options for Plum Frangipane Tart

• Pair with Creamy Vanilla Gelato: The rich, nutty frangipane and sweet-tart plums find a perfect match in smooth, cool vanilla gelato. Its silky texture complements the tart's warmth and provides a refreshing contrast.
• Sip Chilled Riesling: A slightly sweet German Riesling balances the almond and plum flavors beautifully. Its crisp acidity cuts through the tart's richness while enhancing the fruity undertones.
• Enjoy with Earl Grey Tea: The bergamot notes in Earl Grey tea elegantly highlight the tart's lemony and almond notes. Serve hot with a small splash of milk to create a sophisticated dessert experience.
• Complement with Amaretto Liqueur: A small glass of almond-flavored Amaretto creates a harmonious pairing, intensifying the frangipane's nutty essence and providing a warming finish to the dessert.

Tart Variations That Add a New Spin

• Rustic Berry Bliss: Swap plums with a mix of fresh raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Scatter berries across the frangipane filling for a colorful and vibrant summer dessert.
• Spiced Autumn Charm: Replace plums with thinly sliced pears and add a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg to the frangipane mixture. Drizzle with caramel sauce after baking for a cozy seasonal treat.
• Nutty Chocolate Indulgence: Incorporate finely chopped dark chocolate into the frangipane and top with toasted almond slivers. Garnish with a light dusting of cocoa powder for an elegant chocolate twist.
• Citrus Zinger: Infuse the frangipane with orange zest and top with mandarin orange segments. Brush with orange marmalade instead of honey for an extra tangy finish.

Plum Frangipane Tart Recipe

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4.6 from 28 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Classic French Plum Frangipane Tart brings almond sweetness and summer stone fruit together in one elegant dessert. Buttery pastry cradles rich almond cream and juicy plums, promising a delightful Mediterranean-inspired experience you’ll savor with each delicate bite.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Shortcrust Pastry:

• 220 grams (7.75 ounces) plain flour (all-purpose), sifted
• 40 grams (1.4 ounces) powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar), sifted
• 115 grams (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 15–30 milliliters (0.5–1 fluid ounces) ice-cold water
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 1 lemon, zest

Egg Wash:

• 1 small-medium egg
• 1 teaspoon milk

Frangipane Filling and Topping:

• 6–8 fresh plums
• 115 grams (4 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 100 grams (3.5 ounces) granulated sugar
• 100 grams (3.5 ounces) almond meal (ground almonds)
• 65 grams (2.3 ounces) plain flour (all-purpose)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 1 lemon, zest
• fresh thyme leaves

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Instructions

1. Prepare the sweet shortcrust pastry by sifting flour, icing sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Add lemon zest and cold, cubed butter.
2. Use fingertips to rub butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs with small butter chunks visible.
3. Create a central well in the flour mixture and pour in the egg. Gently incorporate using a fork, adding ice-cold water sparingly to bind the dough.
4. Transfer the pastry onto a floured surface and shape into a smooth disk without overworking. Wrap tightly in cling film and refrigerate for at least an hour.
5. After chilling, let the pastry rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Roll out to a thin, coin-like thickness and carefully transfer to a fluted tart tin.
6. Gently press pastry into tin edges and corners, trimming excess. Refrigerate the prepared shell for another hour to prevent shrinkage.
7. Preheat oven to 180°C. Dock pastry base with fork, line with parchment, and fill with pie weights. Blind bake for 15 minutes.
8. Remove weights, brush base with egg wash, and return to oven for 7-10 minutes until golden. Cool completely.
9. Cream butter, sugar, and lemon zest in a mixer until pale and fluffy. Gradually incorporate eggs, beating thoroughly between additions.
10. Fold in almond meal, flour, salt, vanilla, and almond extract until smooth. Spread frangipane evenly into the prepared tart shell.
11. Halve plums, remove stones, and slice thinly. Arrange slices in a spiral pattern over the frangipane, starting from the outer edge.
12. Bake for 45 minutes until filling sets and turns golden brown.
13. Warm honey briefly and brush over the plum surface. Optionally, garnish with fresh thyme leaves.

Notes

• Pastry Perfection: Handle the sweet shortcrust pastry gently to maintain its delicate, flaky texture and prevent tough results.
• Chill Out: Refrigerating the pastry twice helps prevent shrinkage and ensures a crisp, golden crust with clean edges.
• Butter Matters: Use cold butter and work quickly to create those coveted pea-sized butter pieces that make the pastry wonderfully tender.
• Blind Baking Brilliance: Protect the pastry base from becoming soggy by blind baking, creating a crisp foundation for the luscious frangipane filling.
• Plum Placement: Arrange plum slices in a beautiful spiral pattern, overlapping slightly to create a stunning visual effect and ensure even baking.
• Final Flourish: A quick brush of warm honey and sprinkle of thyme leaves elevates the tart from delicious to absolutely spectacular.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 400
• Sugar: 20 g
• Sodium: 150 mg
• Fat: 22 g
• Saturated Fat: 10 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 45 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Protein: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 80 mg