Raspberry Pistachio Frangipane Tart

Nothing screams mid-Summer louder than a vibrant Raspberry Tart, don’t you agree? And this couldn’t be any truer in France where you’ll find Classic Raspberry Tarts with Crème Patissiere (vanilla cream) grazing most French bakery stalls all throughout the Summer. Inspired by the latter, today’s dessert includes a layer of pistachio Frangipane instead of the classic Crème Patissiere. The creamy pistachio and almond filling (pistachio frangipane) brings richness and nuttiness that makes it a perfect canvas for fresh, seasonal raspberries.

I often say it, but this dessert is far more simple to make than it looks. It consists of a Pâte sablée (shortcrust) which you make at home (or purchase), and of a frangipane filling which is done is two minutes by mixing simple ingredients in one bowl. The raspberries are left fresh and bare. See, simple!

This Raspberry Pistachio Frangipane Tart is a beautiful, decadent yet not too sweet dessert that’s best when raspberries are ripe and in season.  

How to make this Raspberry Pistachio Frangipane Tart

This recipe begins with the making of a Pâte Sablée (“sandy” shortcrust pastry). I am providing below (in the recipe section) the directions to make your own pastry from scratch – which I always find makes a huge difference in taste/quality. But if you are in a time crunch or simply don’t feel like doing it, using a store-bought shortcrust works too. The crust doesn’t need any blind baking before being filled with Frangipane.  

Next, you prepare the Pistachio Frangipane. “Frangipane” is a sweet filling traditionally made from ground almonds and used extensively in French baking to fill pies, such as the Classic Bourdaloue Tart (a recipe you can find in my cookbook) and the Galette des Rois. In this version, pistachios are added to the mix. They add another layer of nutty flavor, pairing beautifully with the raspberries and providing a pretty green color as well.

Make sure you obtain unsalted pistachios and grind them in a blender (ie. Vitamix) or a big mortar. Keep some whole pistachios aside, and chop them later on for decoration. Once ground, mix the pistachios with egg yolks, sugar, ground almonds, heavy cream and pistachio extract (or almond extract – they both work well). This frangipane filling is then poured into the crust and baked for 45 minutes, until a slight golden crust forms at the top. The inside remains a nice green color with a creamy texture.

Once the tart has cooled down to room temperature, fresh raspberries are placed at the top and then sprinkled with some coarsely chopped pistachios.

My Cooking notes:

• Making your own Pâte sablée (“sandy” shortcrust pastry) will make a big difference. But using a store-bought piecrust works too.
• Fresh raspberries are a natural match to this creamy pistachio frangipane filling. As Summer progresses and raspberries go out of season, try this tart with fresh ripe apricots, peaches or plums (cut in thin slices).

I hope you’ll love this Raspberry Pistachio Frangipane Tart. It is a beautiful Summer dessert to serve on a weekend, for a family gathering or for any big occasion.

You can prepare it ahead of time and chill it in the fridge for up to 5 hours before serving.

You may also like:

• Apricot Frangipane Tart 
• Classic French Lemon Tart 
• Classic French Tarte Tatin 
• Strawberry Basil Galette 
• Mixed Berry Jalousie

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Raspberry Pistachio Frangipane Tart

Print Recipe

Serves: 8 people Prep Time: 45 minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 3.8/5

( 21 voted )

Ingredients

For the Pâte sablée :
1 ¼ cup (155g) all purpose flour
½ tsp salt
¼ cup (50g) sugar
½ cup (125g) unsalted butter, cold and cut in small cubes.
2 egg yolks

For the Pistachio Frangipane:
50g unsalted pistachios, shelled and ground
+ 20 g unsalted pistachios, shelled and coarsely chopped
4 large egg yolks
½ cup (100g) sugar
120g ground almonds
200ml Heavy Cream (+35%MF)
1 tsp Pistachio extract (or Almond extract)

350g fresh raspberries

Instructions

Step 1 – Prepare the Pâte sablée – In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt and sugar. Add the cubed butter and mix the ingredients together using your hands (rub between your palms) until you get a crumbly, sandy texture and pea-size bits of butter are still visible. Add the egg yolks and combine until the dough comes together into a ball. Wrap in plastic film and chill for 30 minutes.

Step 2 – Make the Pistachio Frangipane – In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 50g of ground pistachios with the egg yolks, sugar, ground almonds, heavy cream and pistachio extract (or almond extract), until homogeneous and creamy. Set aside.

Pre-heat your oven to 350F(180C) with a rack in the middle. 

Take the Pâte sablée of the fridge. Place it between two large sheets of parchment paper and roll it out to a 5mm (0.2inch) thickness. Line the pie dish bottom and sides with crust – don’t worry if the crust tears, you can easily patch it together and press to seal. Trim the edges all around and poke the bottom evenly with a fork.

Pour the frangipane into the pie crust and use the back of a spoon to smooth the top. Bake for 45 minutes, until the filling is set and golden on top. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool for 1 hour.

Step 3 - Assemble the tart – Rinse and gently pat dry the fresh raspberries. Place them on top of the filling to cover the entirety of the tart. Start by placing a raspberry (hole-side down) in the center and work your way around, making sure the raspberries are aligned nice and tight. For serving, sprinkle with the 20g of coarsely chopped pistachios that you set aside earlier. Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment below, rate the recipe and/or share a photo on Instagram: tag @pardonyourfrench  and hashtag it #pardonyourfrench.  Bon Appetit!