Aux Amandes Recipe

Make dough

In a large bowl, whisk together 1.75 cups flour, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add 1/2 cup cold cubed butter and, using a pastry cutter or fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits remaining.

Whisk the egg yolk with 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water and add to the flour-butter mixture. Gently mix with a fork until the dough just comes together; do not overwork. If dough is dry, add an additional 1/2 teaspoon cold water.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, press into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours) to relax the gluten and firm the butter.

When chilled, roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8-inch thickness and fit into a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Trim and crimp edges. Chill the lined tart shell 15 minutes in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line the chilled shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Blind-bake for 12 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake 5–7 minutes more until the crust is set and just beginning to color. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) for baking with filling.

Prepare frangipane

While crust chills, cream 1/2 cup softened butter with 3/4 cup granulated sugar in a bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.

Add the two eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition so the mixture remains smooth. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

Fold in 1 cup almond flour, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1/8 teaspoon salt with a spatula until fully combined. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional) and 1 teaspoon rum or cognac (optional). The frangipane should be spreadable but hold its shape.

Spoon the frangipane into the blind-baked tart shell and smooth the top with an offset spatula to an even layer about 1/2–3/4 inch thick. Sprinkle 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds evenly over the surface, pressing them lightly into the filling.

Whisk the whole egg with 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash. Brush the exposed pastry edge and almonds lightly with the egg wash to encourage browning (avoid pooling on the frangipane).

Bake the tart at 350°F (175°C) for 25–30 minutes, until the frangipane is puffed and golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.

Remove tart from oven and immediately brush the almond surface with 2 tablespoons warmed apricot jam to give a shiny glaze. Allow tart to cool in the pan on a wire rack at least 1 hour to set the frangipane.

Once cool, remove the tart from the pan, dust lightly with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar if desired, slice and serve at room temperature. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.