Red Wine–Poached Pear Frangipane Tart (Step-by-Step)

Slice through ruby pears and almond custard and you hit crisp tart shell, tender fruit, and buttery crumb. Poach pears in spiced red wine, bake them into frangipane, and finish with a quick glaze. The steps stay linear and clean. You prep components ahead, assemble fast, and deliver a patisserie-level finish at home.

Ingredients

Yield: one 9–10 in (23–25 cm) tart, 8–10 servings

For the pears

• Dry red wine (Merlot/Pinot/Cab): 750 ml

• Water: 250 ml

• Granulated sugar: 200 g (1 cup)

• Orange peel strips: from 1 orange

• Cinnamon stick: 1

• Star anise: 2

• Whole cloves: 4

• Vanilla bean 1 (split) or vanilla extract 2 tsp

• Pears (firm, ripe Bosc or Anjou): 4 large, peeled, halved, cored, stems on if possible

For the pâte sucrée (sweet tart shell)

• All-purpose flour: 200 g (1⅔ cups)

• Powdered sugar: 60 g (½ cup)

• Fine sea salt: ¼ tsp

• Cold unsalted butter, cubed: 115 g (½ cup)

• Large egg yolk: 1

• Ice water: 1–2 tbsp as needed

For the almond frangipane

• Unsalted butter, very soft: 90 g (6 tbsp)

• Granulated sugar: 100 g (½ cup)

• Fine salt: ⅛ tsp

• Large eggs: 2

• Almond flour (finely ground): 140 g (1¼ cups)

• All-purpose flour: 20 g (3 tbsp)

• Almond extract: ¼–½ tsp

• Orange zest: ½ tsp (optional)

To finish

• Apricot jam or red currant jelly: 60 g (¼ cup)

• Poaching syrup (reduced): 2–3 tbsp

• Sliced almonds (optional): 2 tbsp

• Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

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Instructions

1) Poach the pears

1. Combine wine, water, sugar, orange peel, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and vanilla in a 3-qt pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; stir to dissolve sugar.

2. Slip in pear halves. Cover with a parchment round to keep them submerged. Simmer gently 15–20 minutes, turning once, until a knife slides in with slight resistance.

3. Transfer pears to a tray. Strain the liquid back into the pot. Boil until syrupy and reduced to about 300 ml (1¼ cups), 10–15 minutes. Cool. Chill pears and syrup separately up to 24 hours if you want to break up the work.

2) Make the tart dough

1. In a bowl, whisk flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Cut in cold butter with fingertips or a pastry blender until sandy with pea bits.

2. Add yolk and 1 tbsp ice water. Press and smear with fingertips (fraisage) until dough holds together; add a few drops more water only if crumbs look dry.

3. Shape into a flat disk, wrap, and chill 45–60 minutes.

3) Line and blind-bake the shell

1. Heat oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. On lightly floured parchment, roll dough to 11–12 in (28–30 cm) circle for a 9–10 in tart ring/pan. Lift parchment to flip dough into the pan. Press into corners. Trim excess to rim height; dock base with a fork.

3. Freeze 15 minutes to prevent slump. Line with parchment and fill with pie weights.

4. Bake 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment. Bake 7–10 minutes more until edges just golden and base looks dry. Cool on a rack. Drop oven to 350°F (175°C).

4) Mix the frangipane

1. Beat soft butter, sugar, and salt with a spatula or mixer 1–2 minutes until creamy.

2. Beat in eggs one at a time until smooth.

3. Fold in almond flour, all-purpose flour, almond extract, and zest. The batter should be spreadable.

5) Prepare pears for topping

1. Pat pears dry. Place each half cut-side down and slice lengthwise into ⅛–¼ in (3–6 mm) fans, keeping the stem end intact so the slices stay connected.

2. Spoon 2 tbsp reduced poaching syrup over pears to gloss.

6) Assemble

1. Spread frangipane in the cooled shell in an even layer.

2. Slide a wide knife under a fanned pear and lift it onto the frangipane. Arrange 5–6 halves (you may have one extra) in a spoke or stagger pattern. Press tops gently to fan further if needed. Brush any syrup left on the board over the exposed pear surfaces.

7) Bake

1. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35–45 minutes until frangipane puffs and turns golden and a tester in the center comes out clean. Rotate once for even color.

2. Cool on a rack 20 minutes.

8) Glaze and finish

1. Warm jam with 2–3 tbsp reduced poaching syrup until fluid. Strain if lumpy.

2. Brush lightly over pears and exposed frangipane for sheen.

3. Scatter sliced almonds along the edge if using. Cool to room temperature before slicing with a sharp serrated knife.

Tips for Perfecting the Tart

• Choose the right pears. Use firm-ripe Bosc or Anjou. Overripe fruit collapses and weeps.

• Keep the poach gentle. A low simmer maintains shape and prevents grainy flesh.

• Reduce the liquid. You concentrate color and flavor for a vivid glaze.

• Chill the dough. Cold fat keeps edges sharp and prevents shrinkage.

• Dry the pears. Moisture dilutes frangipane and causes soggy spots.

• Do not overbake. Pull when frangipane sets and springs back; carryover heat finishes the center.

• Sharp slices. Use a serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion to avoid crushing the custard.

Conservation and Storage

• Room temperature: Hold the tart loosely covered for 6 hours the day you bake.

• Refrigerator: Store slices airtight up to 3 days. The crust softens slightly but flavor deepens.

• Freezer: Wrap individual slices well and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

• Recrisp: Warm at 300°F (150°C) for 8–10 minutes to refresh the shell and wake the aromatics.

Variations

• White wine + vanilla: Swap red wine for a dry white (e.g., Riesling). Use lemon peel and double vanilla; glaze with apricot.

• Chocolate frangipane: Replace 20 g almond flour with 20 g cocoa powder; add 40 g chopped dark chocolate over the frangipane before pears.

• Hazelnut twist: Use hazelnut flour in place of almond and add 1 tbsp Frangelico to the frangipane.

• Spiced shell: Add ½ tsp ground cinnamon to the dough and ¼ tsp cardamom to the frangipane.

• Mini tarts: Line six 4-in shells; bake frangipane 20–25 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

• Temperature: Serve at room temp for best texture and aroma.

• Plating: Add a stripe of reduced poaching syrup on the plate.

• Accompaniments: Spoon a dollop of lightly sweetened crème fraîche or vanilla bean whipped cream.

• Contrast: Finish slices with orange zest or a few fresh pomegranate arils for acid and color.

• Beverage pairings: Pour the same red used for poaching, a tawny port, or strong black tea.

Conclusion

Build flavor in layers: spiced wine into the pears, buttery dough for crunch, and almond custard for body. Control moisture and temperature and the tart rewards you with shine, clean slices, and balanced sweetness. Swap wines, nuts, or spices and keep the core method. The result stays versatile and elegant, with ripe fruit and warm aromatics carrying every bite.

Red Wine–Poached Pear Frangipane Tart (Step-by-Step)

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• Author: Eleanor
• Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
• Yield: 1 tart (9–10 in), 10 servings
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Ruby red pears over almond frangipane in a crisp pâte sucrée. Spiced wine poach, clean slices, bakery-level finish at home.

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Ingredients

Pears

• Dry red wine: 750 ml

• Water: 250 ml

• Sugar: 200 g (1 cup)

• Orange peel: from 1 orange

• Cinnamon stick: 1; star anise: 2; whole cloves: 4

• Vanilla bean 1 (split) or extract 2 tsp

• Firm pears (Bosc or Anjou): 4 large, peeled, halved, cored

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Pâte Sucrée

• All-purpose flour: 200 g (1⅔ cups)

• Powdered sugar: 60 g (½ cup)

• Fine salt: ¼ tsp

• Cold unsalted butter: 115 g (½ cup), cubed

• Large egg yolk: 1

• Ice water: 1–2 tbsp, as needed

Frangipane

• Soft unsalted butter: 90 g (6 tbsp)

• Sugar: 100 g (½ cup)

• Fine salt: ⅛ tsp

• Large eggs: 2

• Almond flour: 140 g (1¼ cups)

• All-purpose flour: 20 g (3 tbsp)

• Almond extract: ¼–½ tsp

• Orange zest: ½ tsp (optional)

Finish

• Apricot jam or red currant jelly: 60 g (¼ cup)

• Reduced poaching syrup: 2–3 tbsp

• Sliced almonds: 2 tbsp (optional)

• Powdered sugar (optional)

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Instructions

Instructions

1. Poach pears. Combine wine, water, sugar, citrus, spices, and vanilla. Simmer to dissolve sugar. Add pears; poach 15–20 min, turning once, until just tender. Remove pears. Reduce liquid to ~300 ml (1¼ cups). Cool.

2. Make dough. Whisk flour, powdered sugar, salt. Cut in butter to sandy crumbs. Mix in yolk and 1 tbsp water; fraisage until it holds. Add drops of water only if dry. Wrap; chill 45–60 min.

3. Blind-bake shell. Heat oven 375°F/190°C. Roll to fit a 9–10 in tart pan. Dock. Freeze 15 min. Line and weight. Bake 15 min. Remove weights; bake 7–10 min until dry and lightly golden. Cool. Lower oven to 350°F/175°C.

4. Frangipane. Cream butter, sugar, and salt 1–2 min. Beat in eggs one by one. Fold in almond flour, AP flour, extract, zest.

5. Prep pears. Pat dry. Fan each half with thin slices, keeping stem end intact. Brush with a little reduced syrup.

6. Assemble. Spread frangipane in cooled shell. Arrange 5–6 fanned halves on top.

7. Bake. 350°F/175°C, 35–45 min until frangipane puffs and sets. Cool 20 min.

8. Glaze. Warm jam with 2–3 tbsp reduced syrup; strain. Brush pears and exposed frangipane. Finish with almonds. Cool to room temp before slicing.

Notes

• Use firm-ripe pears; overripe fruit collapses.

• Keep poach at a gentle simmer for clean texture.

• Dry pears well to avoid soggy spots.

• Do not overbake; carryover heat finishes the center.

• For sharp edges, chill dough and freeze the lined shell before baking.

• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 55 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Poach, Blind-Bake, Bake
• Cuisine: French-inspired

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10 tart)
• Calories: 480 kcal
• Sugar: 30 g
• Sodium: 90 mg
• Fat: 28 g
• Saturated Fat: 12 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 55 g
• Fiber: 4 g
• Protein: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 80 mg

Keywords: red wine poached pear tart, frangipane tart, pear frangipane, pâte sucrée, almond tart, holiday dessert