Frangipane is an almond filling used in French pastries, most commonly found in almond croissants. I absolutely love frangipane because it is only mildly sweet for a custard-like filling and it brings out the best in almonds. Frangipane also compliments seasonal fruits well, especially in tarts. Strawberries at your local farmers market are at the peak of their sweetness right now, so what better time to make a strawberry frangipane tart!

This strawberry frangipane tart is beautiful enough to serve at dinner party, but casual enough to whip up for Sunday brunch at home. It is also a forgiving recipe, because the tart crust is free-form – that is, there is no need for a special tart pan and no need to create perfect edges. The crust is very flaky and crumbly, which balances the texture of the fillings. Also, the frangipane helps absorb the natural juices from the strawberries, which results in jammy strawberries in this tart recipe. When strawberries are not in season, you can use this recipe with other fruits like stone fruits or apples. Happy baking!
Strawberry Frangipane Tart

1 tart – 6 servings

3/4 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup of whole wheat flour
3/8 cup of granulated sugar (divided into 2 tablespoons and 1/4 cup)
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
3/8 teaspoon of Kosher salt (divided into 1/4 teaspoon and 1/8 teaspoon)
1/2 cup of cold butter (cut into cubes)
1/8 cup of ice water
3/4 cup of ground almonds
1/3 cup of confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon of organic cornstarch
3 ounces of butter (room temperature)
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon of almond extract (optional)
1 pint of ripe strawberries (washed, hulled, and cut in half)
2 tablespoons of heavy cream
2 tablespoons of raw sugar or crystal sugar for sprinkling
1. To make the tart crust, place the flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a food processor. Pulse 3-4 times.

2. Add butter. Pulse 3-4 times.

3. Add water. Pulse 2-3 times until the dough comes together.

4. Move the dough to your work station, then gently knead until it just comes together and form into a disk. Do not overwork the dough or it will yield a tough crust.

5. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

6. To make the frangipane, spread the ground almonds on a small baking sheet. Bake at 300° for eight minutes. Cool.

7. Place the cooled ground almonds, confectioner’s sugar, 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, cornstarch and 1/8 teaspoon of salt in the food processor. Pulse 5-6 times.

8. Add the butter and pulse 3-4 times.

9. Add the egg and extracts and process until smooth.

10. Transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

11. To make the tart, remove the tart dough from the refrigerator. Remove the frangipane from the refrigerator.

12. Preheat the oven to 400°.

13. Dust a little flour on the work station. Roll the tart dough to a 13-inch circle.

14. Transfer dough on to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Place the dough in the freezer for five minutes. Remove.

15. Spread frangipane all over the dough up to 1 1/2 inch around the edge. (You will have extra frangipane. You can spread the rest on brioche bread or croissants and bake until golden brown)

16. Arrange the strawberries, cut side down, until all the frangipane is covered.

17. Fold the edges of the tart dough over the strawberries, creating a pleat as you fold them over.

18. Brush the edges with heavy cream.

19. Sprinkle the edges with the raw sugar. Sprinkle the remaining sugar evenly over the strawberries.

20. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes. Cut a slice and serve.