This French almond tart is made with a Pâte Sucrée crust, filled with almond cream frangipane filling, and topped with sliced almonds.
This French almond tart is a classic dessert made with a buttery, crisp Pâte Sucrée (sweet tart crust) that’s the perfect base for the filling.
It’s filled with a smooth and nutty almond frangipane cream, which bakes up soft and slightly custardy. The tart is finished with a generous layer of sliced almonds on top that turn golden and crisp in the oven.
If you’re a fan of almond desserts like almond croissants or anything with frangipane, you’re going to fall in love with this tart.
It’s cozy, satisfying, and feels like something straight out of a French bakery. It is also one of the easiest tarts to make!
For more almond desserts, check out my almond croissants, almond croissant cookies, almond flour chocolate cake, and almond snowball cookies.
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Why this recipe works
- Tart crust- the buttery pâte sucrée crust is crisp and tender. It holds up well and pairs perfectly with the sweet almond filling.
- Frangipane filling- the almond cream filling is soft, rich, and full of nutty flavor. It adds a creamy texture that melts in your mouth.
- Sliced almond topping- toasted sliced almonds on top add a light crunch. They also give the tart a beautiful, bakery-style finish.
- Ease- this tart looks fancy but is surprisingly simple to make. The steps are straightforward and beginner-friendly.
- Freezer friendly- you can freeze the tart whole or in slices. It thaws beautifully, making it great for prepping ahead.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
For the crust
Flour– I used all-purpose flour for the tart crust. You can also use pastry flour for a more delicate texture.
Almond flour- I used store-bought almond flour. The package should say “almond flour” or “fine almond meal”.
Eggs- you will need 1 large egg for the crust. Whisk the egg with a fork before adding it to the dough. The egg helps bind the dough together.
Kosher salt- you will need about ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt for this recipe.
Butter- cold, unsalted butter is best for making a tender, flaky crust. Make sure it's cut into small cubes.
Powder sugar- you will need powder sugar for this recipe. you don’t have to buy powder sugar, you can simply make it at home by blending granulated sugar in a blender or food processor.
For the frangipane
Almond flour- finely ground blanched almonds give the filling its signature nutty flavor and moist texture.
Butter- softened unsalted butter adds richness and creaminess to the filling.
Sugar- granulated sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness to balance the almonds.
Eggs- help thicken the filling and give it a light, custard-like texture when baked.
Vanilla extract- adds warmth and depth to the almond flavor.
Almond extract- optional, but a small amount really enhances the almond taste.
Instructions
Make the sweet pastry dough
In a food processor, add the flour, powdered sugar, and salt, and mix until combined.
Add the cold cubed butter, and blend until the mixture is crumbly and has a sand texture.
If you don't have a food processor, you can do it by hand, mixing the cold butter into the flour mixture. Make sure that your hands are cold.
Then, add the egg, and mix until a dough forms. Try not to overmix the dough.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it out using your hands so it will be easier to roll out, and let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
Transfer the dough onto a clean floured surface, roll it with a rolling pin into a circle, moving the dough constantly to ensure it doesn’t stick to the surface, and transfer it into a 9-inch tart pan.
Cut off the extra edges. Make little holes with a fork and freeze for 20 minutes.
Bake in a 180°C (350°F) preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown color. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes.
Make the almond filling (frangipane): into a large mixing bowl, add the room temperature butter, salt, and sugar, and mix with an electric hand mixer until creamy and smooth.
Add the eggs and mix until well combined.
Add the almond flour and flour and mix until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous. Transfer the almond cream to a piping bag and cut a small but not too small slit in the tip.
Assemble the tart
Pipe the filling into the cooled tart crust in a spiral or zigzag pattern, then smooth the top gently with an offset spatula. Sprinkle sliced almonds evenly over the top.
Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 30–35 minutes, or until the filling is puffed, golden, and set in the center. If the almonds brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil during the last 10 minutes.
Let the tart cool completely in the pan. Dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.
Expert Tips
- Use COLD butter for the crust, I suggest cutting the butter into cubes and then placing it in the fridge, so when you are ready to use it, it will be very cold.
- Freeze the crust for at least 20 minutes before baking it. This will keep your crust from collapsing while baking.
- Let the pastry dough rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before handling it. This will make it easier to roll out the crust and handle it.
- Cream the frangipane just until smooth. Overmixing adds too much air and may cause the filling to puff unevenly or collapse.
- If the crust puffs a bit while baking, press it down using a cup.
- Don’t overfill the tart. Leave a little space at the top of the crust—the filling will rise slightly as it bakes.
- Use an easy-release tart pan. I use an easy-release tart pan for all of our tart recipes. This makes sure that your tart will be easy to release from the pan.
- Cool the tart fully before slicing. This helps the filling set properly and gives clean, bakery-style slices.
Troubleshooting
- The crust is too crumbly. Make sure the butter is cold and don’t skip chilling the dough. If it’s still too dry, add a tiny splash of cold water to bring it together.
- Crust shrinks while baking. Don’t skip resting and chilling the dough before baking. Also, press it gently into the tart pan and avoid stretching it.
- Tart overbrowned on top. If the almonds or top are browning too fast, loosely cover the tart with foil for the last 10–15 minutes.
- Frangipane filling is too runny. Make sure the butter is soft, not melted, and don’t overbeat the eggs. Chill the filling for 10 minutes if it's too loose.
- Crust is tough. Don’t overmix the dough or use too much flour when rolling it out. Handle it as little as possible.
- Tart sticks to the pan. Make sure to grease the pan lightly or use a non-stick tart pan with a removable bottom for easy release.
Faq's
Frangipane is a soft almond cream filling made with butter, sugar, eggs, and almond flour. A tart is the full dessert, usually made with a crust and filled with something like frangipane, fruit, or custard.
Frangipane is a rich, creamy almond filling made with butter, sugar, eggs, and almond flour. It bakes into a soft, custard-like texture and is often used in tarts, pastries, and cakes.
Almond cream is the raw mixture of butter, sugar, eggs, and almond flour, while frangipane is usually the name for that same cream once it's baked inside pastries or tarts.
You’ll know the frangipane filling is cooked when it’s golden on top, slightly puffed, and set in the center. A toothpick inserted should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Storing
Store this tart in the fridge in an airtight container to prevent it from absorbing the aromas of the fridge. This tart will last fresh for up to 5 days.
Freezing
To freeze this tart, first let it cool completely. Then, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, making sure no air can get in.
Next, cover it with a layer of aluminum foil for extra protection. Place the wrapped tart in the freezer on a flat surface.
It can stay frozen for up to two months. When you're ready to eat it, thaw the tart in the refrigerator overnight.
Make it ahead of time
You can make the crust and filling up to 2–3 days in advance. The baked tart also keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just bring it to room temperature before serving.
Substitutions
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the flour with gluten-free flour or make your favorite gluten-free crust.
Dairy-free- you can make this dairy-free by replacing the butter with vegan butter. Both for the tart crust and for the lemon curd.
Store-bought tart crust- you can make these with a store-bought pastry shell. Simply skip the process of making the crust.
Variations
Crust- if you don’t want to make a crust from scratch, you can make a graham cracker crust. Mix 1 ½ cups of graham cracker crumbs with 1 teaspoon of sugar and ⅓ cup of melted unsalted butter.
Bake it for 8 minutes in a 180c (350f) preheated oven.
Tartlets- make these into mini tartlets! You can use this exact recipe to create adorable almond tartlets.
Serving Tips
Serve at room temperature- let the tart sit out for 20–30 minutes if it was stored in the fridge. The texture and flavor are best when it’s not too cold.
Add a dusting of powdered sugar- just before serving, lightly dust the top for a pretty finish and a touch of sweetness.
Pair with whipped cream or ice cream- a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream makes this tart extra indulgent.
Garnish with fresh berries- raspberries or sliced strawberries add color, freshness, and balance the richness of the almond filling.
Equipment
- 9 inch tart pan. 10 inch will work great too for this recipe.
- Mixing bowl (set of 3).
- You will also need a food processor to make the crust (if you are not using a store-bought crust).
- French rolling pin.
- Whisk set.
- Measuring cup set.
- Offset spatula to smooth out the almond cream on the crust.
- Rubber spatula.
More tart recipes
Mini Fruit Tarts- These mini fruit tarts are made with easy and buttery tart shells, filled with homemade pastry cream, and topped with fresh fruit.
Lemon Meringue Tart- This lemon meringue tart is made with a buttery pastry crust, topped with lemon curd filling, and topped with toasted Swiss meringue.
Mini Chocolate Tarts- These mini chocolate tarts are made with chocolate pastry shells and filled with a silky smooth and rich chocolate ganache.
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and a comment below. I love hearing from you.
If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
French Almond Tart
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 ½ cups Flour AP, plain, or pastry flour
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ⅔ cup Powdered sugar
- ¼ cup Almond flour
- ½ cup Butter cold!
- 1 Egg
For the filing
- ⅔ cup Butter soft, unsalted
- ⅔ cup Granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 3 Eggs
- 1 ⅓ cups Almond flour
- 3 tablespoon Flour
- ½ cup Sliced almonds
Instructions
Make the sweet pastry dough
- In a food processor, add the flour, powdered sugar, and salt, and mix until combined.
- Add the cold cubed butter, and blend until the mixture is crumbly and has a sand texture.
- If you don't have a food processor, you can do it by hand, mixing the cold butter into the flour mixture. Make sure that your hands are cold.
- Then, add the egg, and mix until a dough forms. Try not to overmix the dough.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it out using your hands so it will be easier to roll out, and let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Transfer the dough onto a clean floured surface, roll it with a rolling pin into a circle, moving the dough constantly to ensure it doesn’t stick to the surface, and transfer it into a 9-inch tart pan.
- Cut off the extra edges. Make little holes with a fork and freeze for 20 minutes.
- Bake in a 180°C (350°F) preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown color. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Make the almond filling (frangipane): into a large mixing bowl, add the room temperature butter, salt, and sugar, and mix with an electric hand mixer until creamy and smooth.
- Add the eggs and mix until well combined.
- Add the almond flour and flour and mix until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous. Transfer the almond cream to a piping bag and cut a small but not too small slit in the tip.
Assemble the tart
- Pipe the filling into the cooled tart crust in a spiral or zigzag pattern, then smooth the top gently with an offset spatula. Sprinkle sliced almonds evenly over the top.
- Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 30–35 minutes, or until the filling is puffed, golden, and set in the center. If the almonds brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil during the last 10 minutes.
- Let the tart cool completely in the pan. Dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.
Notes
- Use COLD butter for the crust, I suggest cutting the butter into cubes and then placing it in the fridge, so when you are ready to use it, it will be very cold.
- Freeze the crust for at least 20 minutes before baking it. This will keep your crust from collapsing while baking.
- Let the pastry dough rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before handling it. This will make it easier to roll out the crust and handle it.
- Cream the frangipane just until smooth. Overmixing adds too much air and may cause the filling to puff unevenly or collapse.
- If the crust puffs a bit while baking, press it down using a cup.
- Don’t overfill the tart. Leave a little space at the top of the crust—the filling will rise slightly as it bakes.
- Use an easy-release tart pan. I use an easy-release tart pan for all of our tart recipes. This makes sure that your tart will be easy to release from the pan.
- Cool the tart fully before slicing. This helps the filling set properly and gives clean, bakery-style slices.
- . This helps the filling set properly and gives clean, bakery-style slices.
Itay
It turned out great thanks
Sab
It turned out great, thanks.