A buttery crust, creamy pistachio frangipane flavored with orange zest, and fresh pears come together in this Pear Frangipane Tart. It’s a unique and elegant autumn dessert—delicious on its own or served with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Move over apples—this pear and frangipane tart deserves a place at your fall dessert table. The tart features an all-butter crust, a pistachio frangipane enriched with orange zest, and tender baked pears. It’s visually impressive, full of seasonal flavor, and straightforward to make with a food processor and a tart pan.
Table of Contents
- Why you’ll love this recipe
- Tools you’ll need
- Ingredients and substitutions
- How to make a pear frangipane tart
- More baker’s tips
- Storage
- FAQs
- Pear Frangipane Tart (Pistachio) recipe card
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Delicious contrast: sweet, tender pears pair beautifully with the rich, nutty pistachio frangipane.
- Seasonal and special: pears bring a refined fall flavor that feels elevated and unexpected.
- Manageable steps: the recipe uses a food processor to simplify both the crust and the filling—great for home bakers.
- Beautiful presentation: arranging pear slices over the frangipane creates a show-stopping tart for gatherings.
Tools you’ll need
To make this tart you’ll want:
- Food processor (or a stand mixer) to make the crust and grind pistachios into meal.
- 8″ or 9″ round tart pan with a removable bottom makes assembly and serving easier.
- Rolling pin, spatula, and a wire rack for cooling.
Ingredients and substitutions
Complete ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card below. Notes and easy swaps:
- All-purpose flour: works well for the crust and the frangipane. For a more tender crust, use pastry flour. For gluten-free, substitute a 1:1 GF flour blend for both crust and filling.
- Granulated sugar: sweetens both crust and filling.
- Unsalted butter: cold for the crust to create flakiness; softened for the frangipane to mix smoothly. Using unsalted butter lets you control salt levels.
- Salt: enhances sweetness and balances flavor in both crust and filling.
- Pistachios: use raw pistachios to make ground pistachio meal, or roasted unsalted pistachios if raw aren’t available. Shelling them first makes grinding easier.
- Pears: Anjou pears are a great choice because they hold shape during baking; Bosc and Bartlett work as well if firm and ripe.
- Eggs, orange zest, vanilla: eggs bind and enrich the frangipane; orange zest brightens the nutty filling and vanilla adds warmth.
How to make a pear frangipane tart
Below are the main steps in overview. See the full recipe card for exact times and measurements.
Make the dough
Combine flour, sugar, and salt, then pulse cold cubed butter into the mixture until pea-sized pieces remain. Add cold water a tablespoon at a time and pulse until the dough just starts to come together. Turn out onto a work surface, form into a disk, and chill for about an hour.
Note: A food processor speeds this recipe because you’ll use the same bowl to make the pistachio frangipane.
Prepare the frangipane
Grind pistachios to a mealy meal, then cream softened butter with sugar and orange zest. Add the ground pistachio, flour, and salt and pulse to combine. Beat eggs with vanilla and add, processing until smooth. Chill the frangipane for about an hour to firm up.
Assemble and bake
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Roll the chilled dough to a circle about 2 inches larger than your pan, fit it into the tart pan, and trim the edges. Chill the shell briefly in the freezer, then dock the dough with a fork. Spread the pistachio frangipane evenly in the shell, arrange thin pear slices on top, pressing them gently into the filling. Bake 40–45 minutes until golden and puffed. Cool on a wire rack; the tart will deflate slightly as it comes to room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.
Note: Cracks or slight collapse after baking are normal—the flavor and texture remain excellent.
More baker’s tips
- Don’t overwork the dough: leave small pieces of butter intact for flaky pockets.
- Spread filling evenly: an even layer helps the tart bake uniformly.
- Add texture: sprinkle chopped pistachios on top before baking for crunch, if desired.
- Cool fully: chilling completely before slicing helps the filling set cleanly.
- Serve suggestions: vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel complement the tart.
Storage
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The tart is also freezer-friendly for up to 3 months—wrap tightly in plastic and foil, thaw overnight in the fridge, and reheat at 350°F for 10–15 minutes to refresh the crust.
FAQs
Anjou pears hold their shape well when baked. Bosc and Bartlett are also good choices. Select pears that are firm with a little give when pressed.
Yes—bake until the top is golden and puffed. Overbaking will dry the frangipane and make it grainy.
Pears can be slightly underripe since they soften during baking, but avoid overly soft fruit that may break down and release too much juice.
Pear Frangipane Tart (Pistachio) — Recipe Card
Pear Frangipane Tart (Pistachio)
Buttery crust, pistachio frangipane with orange zest, and fresh pears. Serves 8.
Prep time: 30 mins • Cook time: 45 mins • Resting: 1 hr 10 mins • Total: 1 hr 15 mins
Ingredients — For pie crust
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (202 g)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar (rounded)
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 5 oz cold unsalted butter, cubed (142 g)
- 3 tbsp cold water
- Extra flour for rolling
Ingredients — For filling
- 4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature (113 g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (99 g)
- 1 tsp orange zest (zest of 1 small orange)
- 1 cup ground pistachio (about 120 g)
- ¼ cup flour (33 g)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
Instructions
- Make the dough: mix flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse cold butter into the mixture until pea-sized. Drizzle cold water while pulsing until the dough begins to form. Shape into a disk and refrigerate 1 hour.
- Prepare the frangipane: grind pistachios to a meal. Cream butter, sugar, and orange zest. Add ground pistachio, flour, and salt; pulse to combine. Beat eggs with vanilla and add until smooth. Chill 1 hour.
- Assemble: preheat oven to 400°F. Roll dough 2″ larger than the tart pan, fit into pan, trim edges, and chill 5–10 minutes. Dock with a fork. Spread frangipane evenly and arrange pear slices on top, pressing slightly into the filling.
- Bake: middle rack for 40–45 minutes until golden and puffed. Cool completely on a wire rack, then dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Use raw or roasted unsalted pistachios. Shelled pistachios save prep time.
- Anjou pears are recommended for baking; choose pears that are ripe but still firm.
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