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This French Almond Frangipane Tart tastes like it came from a fancy little Parisian patisserie. No one has to know how easily and quickly it comes together!
The name itself sounds so fancy, don't you agree? French Almond Frangipane Tart. Frangipane is pronounced like this, quite different than I would have said it as a little North Carolina (originally Wisconsin) girl, the French pronunciation sounds SO much nicer! The name gives me visions of the charming little patisseries and their lovely proprietors scattered throughout Paris and every other French city, town and even the tinest of villages.
And although the name sounds elegant, it's the flavor, texture, presentation... and, most importantly, that first little bite of this French Almond Frangipane Tart that will stop you in your tracks. (Scott and I both declared, with the first taste that it just might be one of the most delicious things we've ever had the pleasure of meeting!)
So what is Frangipane?
King Arthur Baking Company calls frangipane "A baker's secret weapon". It's what makes pain au raisin, almond croissants and French fruit tarts so delicious. But what is this fancy-sounding concoction? It's simply a combination of butter, sugar, eggs, almond flour and vanilla extract. Stir it all together and you've got frangipane!
But what is it and what does it taste like? It's difficult to describe concisely but I describe frangipane as a creamy, velvety smooth filling with a rich, nutty, lightly sweet, FABULOUS flavor.
Ridiculously Easy
As I was making this French Almond Frangipane Tart, I realized that it definitely falls into our collection of Ridiculously Easy recipes. If you're a regular Café reader, you can just skip to the next section as you know all about our RE recipes. However, if you're new here, let me explain what this is all about.
This Ridiculously Easy collection contains recipes for desserts, breads, cookies, and even some main dishes that are so easy to put together, that it's... ridiculous! You can check out a more detailed explanation of these recipes in this post and see the whole collection here but, in a little nutshell, these are the recipes that will make you look like a kitchen rock star with minimal effort on your part.
This French Almond Frangipane Tart checks all the boxes!
Easy press-in crust
This French Almond Frangipane Tart utilizes our Ridiculously Easy Press-In Crust recipe. It's a crispy, crunchy, buttery shortbread crust that's been a "go-to" recipe for me for a few years. It works well for both sweet and savory crusts and there's no rolling, cutting-in-butter, blind baking or fuss.
I made the press-in crust today in preparation for a dinner party tomorrow where I plan to serve this French Almond Frangipane Tart. It's chilling in the fridge right now and I'll bake the tart in the morning. It seemed like perfect timing when, not long after I finished throwing together the crust, this comment came from a reader into my email inbox:
1. Yes this recipe is really a press and bake recipe. No evil rolling pin required.
2. Yes the tart shell looks like it is professionally made.
3. Yes I have made it several times and it never fails to come out perfect.
4. Yes the recipe is so loved that I made it into a "cookie" and am giving it as a gift because my friend loves the tart shell so much. Why not?
I loved it, as it's all true. And he's given me the idea now to create a cookie from this recipe!
A taste of France
This dessert truly does taste and look like something you'd find in a charming little French bakery. Something so delicious you'll be wondering where it's been all of your life!
So practice your pronunciation of "Frangipane" and make this fabulous French Almond Frangipane Tart. You might be mistaken by family and friends for a fine little French baker or patisserie owner. Only you and I will know that the hardest thing about this tart was getting that tricky French pronunciation perfected! ENJOY!
Cafe Tips for making this French Almond Frangipane Tart
- You'll need a 9 or 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom for this recipe. This type of pan can be used for all kinds of sweet and savory tarts as well as for quiches.
- This recipe calls for almond flour. Almond flour is simply finely ground, blanched almonds. Don't mistake it for almond meal which is also made from ground almonds however almond meal is coarser as it includes the brown skin of the almonds.
- Almond flour is available at most larger grocery stores, often in the area with other specialty flour. Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur are common brands. I find that almond flour can be quite pricey at my regular grocery store and is much more reasonably priced at big box stores like Sam's Club and Costco. It's also more reasonable when purchased online.
- The crust for this tart can be made and pressed into the pan a day in advance and refrigerated. It can also be frozen so you can have it at your fingertips whenever you get a craving for this delicious dessert.
- This French Almond Frangipane Tart can be made in advance and frozen for stressless entertaining. Allow it to thaw and come to room temperature before serving.
- I love to serve this tart sprinkled with a shower of powdered sugar. It's delicious on a pool of Raspberry Coulis (another ridiculously easy recipe!) with a dollop of whipped cream. It also pairs wonderfully with fresh fruit like raspberries, strawberries, blueberries or peaches.
- Need to bake gluten-free for yourself or family/friends? The filling for this French Almond Frangipane Tart is gluten-free and the crust can be made with a 1 to 1 sub of all-purpose gluten-free flour. I like King Arthur's Cup for Cup Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour.
Thought for the day:
But when the fullness of time had come,
God sent forth His Son,
born of woman, born under the law,
to redeem those who were under the law,
so that we might receive adoption as sons.
Galations 4:4-5
What we're listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoy this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.
- 4 ounces butter I use salted butter
- 1 ½ cups almond flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- powdered sugar for garnish, if desired
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Prepare the dough and line the pan with the shortbread tart crust as instructed in the press-in crust recipe (use the crust recipe for the sweet filling). Par-bake as directed for a filling that will be baked (vs a no-bake filling).
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Set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes after removing from the oven (can be longer, if desired).
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While the tart shell is cooling, make the frangipane filling.
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Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line a sheet pan with foil and set aside
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Place the butter in a medium-size microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp paper towel. Cook on high power for 60-90 seconds or until the butter is melted.
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Allow the melted butter to cool for 5 minutes then add the sugar and whisk until incorporated. The mixture will be a little grainy at this point.
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Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and the salt. Stir to incorporate.
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Lastly, add the almond flour and stir, until well mixed.
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Transfer the mixture to the tart shell and spread it to an even layer. (The frangipane mixture should come almost to the top of the crust shell. If your tart pan is 9 inches you may have a tiny amount of extra filling, depending on the size of your pan, which can be discarded). Sprinkle the almonds evenly over the top.
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Bake on the prepared sheet pan for 20-25 minutes OR until the tart is a pretty golden brown. Then cover lightly with foil and bake for another 10-20 minutes for a total of 35-40 minutes. The frangipane should no longer be wobbly in the center when given a gentle shake.
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Allow the tart to cool completely before serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.
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Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of Raspberry Coulis or with fresh fruit, like raspberries, strawberries, blueberries or sliced peaches.
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The tart can be stored at room temperature for up to a day. Refrigerate or freeze for longer storage.
See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips to ensure success.
If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn’t have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.
Please note that the nutritional information does not include the crust. See that post for its own nutrition.
Wendy van Niekerk says
I baked the ridiculously easy frangipane tart with the ridiculously easy press in pastry. It WAS ridiculously easy, and possibly THE most delicious thing that I've eaten. Thank you.
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Awesome! Thank you for your review, Wendy!
trace says
why do you use different measures for the same recipe. use grams.its universal and easy to understand. you go from ounces to cups which are different in different countries. usa not same as UK . then teaspoons , tablespoon impossible to get reliable results even you can be bothered , again, to convert, different conversion tables . see what i mean . liquids should be in mls
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Trace,
It's important to understand that there are different ways of doing things, depending on where you live, your background, etc. Ounces, cups, teaspoons and tablespoon are the way we measure things here in the US and get very reliable results. However, I understand that there are different ways of measuring across the world so if you look right above the word "Instructions" on any of our recipe cards, there is an option to toggle to Metric measurements where you'll find grams, mls, etc.
Kmo says
I have read through a few times, but can’t find temperature anywhere! I put mine it at 350* F. Fingers crossed it turned out well!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Kmo, you were correct. Thanks for letting me know. I have added that to the recipe.
Ann W says
HELP!! I "loosely" covered the tart for the last 10 - 15 min and the foil dropped and stuck to my fussy almond design! I put a crease at the top to tent it... thinking I would be better off with no foil, it also looks quite pale compared to your photo..... I had the same foil dilemma happen with the french almond cake... are you using toothpicks to keep the foil off the top of the baked item while in the oven? Love the flavor but struggle with the finish! Thanks for the help!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Ann, I'm so sorry you had trouble with this tart!
Every oven is a little different - that's why I say to bake it until it's a pretty golden brown, then cover with foil so it doesn't get too brown.
Regarding the tenting, I "poof" up the foil in the center a bit to keep it from sticking. Another trick is to spray it with non-stick cooking spray then wipe it with a paper towel (so it's not too much). Use the greased foil to cover you cake or tart to prevent sticking. Hope that helps!
Judy Johnson says
I just made this today. I am having my three granddaughters for Family Day (statutory holiday in Canada) and this is what I chose to serve them for dessert. It turned out beautifully!!! The only change that I would perhaps make in the future, is to double up the amount of almond flavouring as I love a strong almond flavour!!! I took a picture but I am not sure how to forward it to you. Thanks again for such a delicious new dessert option!!!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Wonderful! Thank you for the review, Judy! We would love to see the picture, you can email it to us 🙂
Liz says
Can I substitute a keto almond flour crust. Also I might try using a keto sweetener instead of regular sugar.
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Hi Liz, we haven't tested this recipe with a keto almond flour crust or with keto sweetener.
Susan Wolfe says
I was delighted to find this 'fancy' gluten free tart in a recent post. When I read that I should use your easy press-in tart crust, I discovered
the crust uses all purpose flour. I'm sure the tart would be wonderful, but I'll have to find an alternative 'fancy' dessert for my friend who
has celiac disease. If you have a gluten free version of this tart crust, would you please make it available? I love your fool-proof recipes and look forward to being able to make this tart for my friend in the future. Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Susan, the crust can be made with all-purpose cup for cup GF flour!