Description
This Cranberry Frangipane Tart combines a crisp almond crust with a luscious almond frangipane filling studded with fresh cranberries. A perfect balance of nutty, buttery, and tart flavors, this elegant tart is baked to golden perfection and is ideal for festive occasions or a sophisticated dessert treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 cup (145g) whole almonds
- 1 cup (100g) almond flour or almond meal
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, melted
Frangipane Filling
- 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/3 cups (133g) almond flour or almond meal
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Topping
- 1 and 1/4 cups (125g) fresh cranberries (or frozen & thawed)
- Optional: coarse sugar for sprinkling
- Optional: sugared cranberries for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) to prepare for baking the tart.
- Make the Crust: Pulse whole almonds, almond flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add melted butter and pulse until the mixture becomes crumbly, forming the base for the crust.
- Form and Bake the Crust: Press the crumbly dough evenly into a 9-inch or 10-inch tart pan. Bake it in the preheated oven for 10 minutes until slightly firm. Remove and allow it to cool while preparing the filling.
- Prepare the Frangipane Filling: In a bowl, beat softened butter and sugar together until creamy and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated to maintain a light texture.
- Add Remaining Filling Ingredients: Stir in almond flour, salt, vanilla extract, almond extract, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Assemble the Tart: Spread the frangipane filling evenly over the cooled crust. Scatter fresh cranberries on top, pressing them lightly into the filling to ensure they stay embedded.
- Optional Sugar Topping and Bake: Sprinkle coarse sugar over the top if desired for a crunchy finish. Bake the tart for 38-40 minutes, or until the frangipane is lightly browned and the cranberries are juicy.
- Cool and Serve: Let the tart cool for at least 20 minutes before carefully removing the rim of the tart pan. Serve the tart warm or at room temperature, optionally garnished with sugared cranberries for extra elegance.
Notes
- Using room temperature eggs helps achieve a smooth frangipane filling.
- Fresh cranberries are preferred for the best texture, but frozen cranberries thawed thoroughly work well too.
- Pressing cranberries lightly into the filling helps keep them evenly distributed during baking.
- Allowing the tart to cool before removing the pan rim prevents cracking or breaking.
- Coarse sugar sprinkled on top adds a lovely sparkle and texture contrast.
- Sugared cranberries make a beautiful festive garnish if desired.
