La Tarte Bordaloue Recipe
Make La Tarte Bordaloue Recipe in just 2h 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Pâte sucrée (sweet tart crust)
Frangipane filling
Poached pears and glaze
Finish & optional
Method
Pâte sucrée (sweet tart crust)
- 1
Make the dough
Whisk together flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add the cold cubed butter and rub with your fingertips or use a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse sand with some pea-size butter pieces remaining.
- 2
Bind and chill
Stir in the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon cold water; gently mix until dough just comes together. Do not overwork. Form into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).
- 3
Blind bake crust
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-10 inch tart pan with removable bottom. On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough to a 12-inch circle and press into the tart pan, trimming excess. Prick the bottom lightly with a fork. Line with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake another 8-10 minutes until pale golden. Let cool slightly while preparing filling.
Frangipane filling
- 4
Prepare almond base
If using whole almonds, pulse in a food processor to a fine meal. In a mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
- 5
Finish frangipane
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in almond meal, 1 tablespoon flour, vanilla extract, almond extract (if using), and salt until smooth. Scrape down sides to ensure even mixing. The frangipane should be pipeable/spreadable but not runny.
- 6
Fill crust
Spread the frangipane evenly into the pre-baked tart shell, smoothing the surface with an offset spatula.
Poached pears and glaze
- 7
Poach pears
Peel the pears, leaving stems intact if desired. Halve and core them (or slice lengthwise into 6 slices each, depending on presentation). In a medium saucepan, combine 4 cups water, 1/2 cup sugar, split vanilla bean (scraped seeds and pod) or vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, add the pears and poach gently until tender but still holding shape (about 10-15 minutes for halves, 6-8 minutes for slices). Remove pears and cool on a rack. Reserve 1/2 cup of poaching liquid for glaze reduction if desired.
- 8
Arrange pears on tart
Place whole halves or fan sliced pears over the frangipane in an attractive pattern, pressing them gently into the almond filling about 1/8 inch so they will adhere and steam slightly during baking.
- 9
Bake assembled tart
Reduce oven to 325°F (160°C). Bake the tart for 25-30 minutes until frangipane is set, puffed slightly, and lightly golden around edges. If pear surfaces brown too quickly, loosely tent with foil.
- 10
Make apricot glaze
Warm the apricot jam with 1 tablespoon water in a small saucepan or microwave until smooth and brushable. Optionally add 1-2 tablespoons reserved poaching liquid to thin for better coverage. Strain if needed.
- 11
Glaze tart
As soon as the tart comes out of the oven, brush the pears and exposed frangipane with the warmed apricot glaze to give a glossy finish and help preserve the fruit.
Finish & serve
- 12
Toast almonds & final touches
While the tart bakes or after, toast sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, until golden and fragrant (2-4 minutes). Sprinkle toasted almonds over the glazed pears while glaze is still tacky so they adhere. Let the tart cool to near room temperature (at least 1 hour) so frangipane sets fully.
- 13