Tarte Bourdaloue

A classic French tart, Tarte Bourdaloue is made with pears and almonds. The pears are cooked in a sugar syrup, then arranged on top of an almond frangipane filling and baked until golden brown. This tart is best served with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.

Ingredients

• 3 medium pears, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 1/4 cup (60ml) water
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup (30g) almond meal
• 1 tablespoon (15g) butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon (15g) sugar

Method

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the pears, sugar, water and almond extract. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the pears are tender and the syrup has thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 200C/400F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out to a 12-inch (30cm) circle. Trim the edges and transfer to a 9-inch (23cm) tart pan. Prick the bottom of the pastry several times with a fork.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, almond meal, butter and sugar. Spread the mixture evenly over the pastry.
4. Arrange the pear slices on top of the almond filling. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the pears are cooked through.
5. Remove from oven and let cool before serving. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Potential changes & improvements

For a different twist on this classic tart, try using other fruit in place of the pears. Apples, peaches or plums would all work well. You could also try using a different type of nut in the filling, such as hazelnuts or walnuts.

What other food it works well with

This tart goes well with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream. It can be served as a dessert on its own, or alongside a cup of coffee or tea.

Common Mistakes

One common mistake when making this tart is not cooking the pears long enough. Be sure to cook them until they are tender and the syrup has thickened. Another mistake is not rolling the pastry out thinly enough. The pastry should be about 1/8-inch (3mm) thick.

Nutritional Information

Per serving:

• Calories: 350
• Fat: 16g
• Saturated fat: 5g
• Cholesterol: 40mg
• Sodium: 140mg
• Carbohydrates: 47g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 27g
• Protein: 5g

Allergens

This recipe contains tree nuts (almonds) and eggs.