Almond, Raspberry, Pear Tarte

Slight GF modifications, almonds

For the pears:

4 cups water

1 ¼ cups sugar

½ a lemon, juiced (roughly 1 ½ tablespoons)

3 medium-size Bosc pears, peeled (for notes on using other types of pears, see recipe)

Almond filling:

1 1/2 cups almond flour

2 tablespoon all purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar (I tend to make less sweet)

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large egg

1 teaspoon almond extract

Other ingredients:

1 frozen pie crust, defrosted (or make your own pie crust) *many premade GF options 

½ box of raspberries

Preheat the oven to 350°F and bring the water, sugar, and lemon juice to a boil in a wide pot, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Add the peeled pears and bring down to medium-heat, simmering for about 20 minutes (until the pears are tender).

While the pears are simmering away, add the almond flour and sugar to a large bowl for the filling layer. Add the butter, eggs, and almond extract, mixing until smooth. Put in the fridge to cool until the pears are ready.

Carefully transfer the pears from the pot to a plate, and once they are cool enough to handle, cut them lengthwise and remove the core. Cut each half crosswise into thin layers (the goal is not as thin as can be but rather roughly the same thickness throughout).

To assemble, press the almond filling as a flat layer into your pie crust (thoroughly defrosted). Delicately transfer the layered pear halves onto the almond, and by tilting the pears allow the layers to reach the center (or gently splay the pear layers further if you want to try adding swirls). Fill the abstract triangles made with the pears and pie crust boundary with raspberries (I pack them in tightly for more raspberry flavor). Bake until the crust and pears are golden and a tester knife inserted into center of filling comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Let it cool before serving (it rest at room temperature for up to 8 hours).

Truly the the most requested dessert in my family - this pear, raspberry, and almond tarte is the perfect base recipe to look and feel like a baking master. Inspired by my lifelong friend’s recipe, this tarte is favorite dessert of my non-chocolate-loving friends, I’ve made some time-saving changes while still pairing not-too-sweet but deliciously baked fruit with a layer offering the wonders of the gooey center of an almond croissant.