Blackberry frangipane tart

This blackberry frangipane tart makes the most of plump, juicy blackberries, with a layer of homemade blackberry compote and whole fresh berries encased in a rich almond frangipane filling. Finished with a generous scattering of flaked almonds, this blackberry almond tart is a delicious way to enjoy fresh blackberries while they're in season.

With the hot start to the summer here in the UK, the blackberries ripened early this year, and I picked a bumper crop. I've got 2 tubs safely tucked away in the freezer to make a blackberry cobbler in Autumn, and I used another tubful to make this delicious blackberry frangipane tart.

The tart starts with a layer of sweet blackberry compote spread over a crisp pastry base. This is topped with almond frangipane and plenty of whole blackberries before being covered with another layer of frangipane and a generous scattering of flaked almonds. I've deliberately not added any sugar to the whole blackberries as I wanted their natural tartness to contrast with the sweeter compote and almond filling.

There are quite a lot of steps involved, but nothing difficult, and I've got 18 process shots to make it as easy as possible for you to follow along. Don't let the number of steps put you off. They're not complicated, merely:

• mix the pastry and line a baking dish;
• make the compote and spread it over the pastry;
• mix the frangipane and layer it with the whole blackberries;
• scatter with flaked almonds and bake.

The result is a buttery pastry tart filled with sweet almond frangipane, pockets of juicy blackberries and a layer of fruity compote underneath. The flaked almonds add a little crunch on top, while those unsweetened blackberries provide just enough sharpness to stop the tart from becoming overly sweet.

Why I love this blackberry almond tart

• The blackberries are free! Of course, you can buy blackberries in the supermarket, but at this time of year I like to make the most of nature's bounty and forage as many as I can. They freeze beautifully too - just rinse them in a bowl of cold water, drain and pat dry with a paper towel, and pack them into freezer containers. You can store them for up to 6 months, and they're perfect for cooking with.
• The contrasting taste. The sweet blackberry compote is perfectly balanced by the tart bursts of whole blackberries baked into the frangipane.
• The different textures. Crisp pastry, soft almond frangipane, juicy blackberries and crunchy flaked almonds give you a little bit of everything in each bite.
• It tastes good warm or cold. Serve chilled or at room temperature, and enjoy a slice with a cup of tea, or serve it warm as a dessert with custard or cream.

Ingredients for fresh blackberry frangipane tart

**This is just an overview to explain why I used a particular ingredient. The complete list of ingredients and the exact measurements are on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**

I'll separate the ingredients into the different components for you:

Pastry

This is a simple shortcrust pastry - the same one I used for my Christmas mincemeat frangipane tart.

• Flour. Use plain or all-purpose flour. You don't want the pastry to rise like a cake so don't use self-raising flour and don't add any baking powder.
• Sugar. This is a sweet pastry, so we add a little sugar. Granulated sugar is fine.
• Butter. Use either salted or unsalted butter. If you use unsalted butter, you might like to add a pinch of salt along with the flour. The butter should be cut into cubes to make it easier to rub into the flour.
• Egg. The pastry is enriched with an egg for extra richness. I used a large egg, but any size will be fine.
• Cold water. This is used to bind the pastry. The actual amount you will need will depend on the size of the egg you used.

Blackberry compote

• Fresh or frozen blackberries. I used fresh, but if you have some blackberries in the freezer, you could use those instead.
• Sugar. Blackberries can be quite tart, so this is just to sweeten the compote. Adjust the amount of sugar according to how tart your blackberries are.
• Lemon juice. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds freshness to the compote. Leave it out if you don't have it.
• Cornflour or cornstarch. This helps the compote thicken. This is optional, or as needed. If you do use it, it should be mixed to a smooth paste with a little cold water.

Frangipane

• Butter and sugar. Making frangipane is a bit like making a cake - we always start with creaming the butter and sugar together. Butter at room temperature is easier to cream.
• Eggs. These are combined with the butter and sugar mixture, one at a time.
• Ground almonds. These are finely ground almonds, and they take the place of flour normally used in a cake. You can find these in the baking aisle in the supermarket.
• Almond essence. This is optional, and it enhances the flavour of the almonds.

Filling and topping

• Whole blackberries. These will be layered on top of the blackberry compote with the frangipane. The whole blackberries add a tart, fruity taste that perfectly complements the sweetness of the compote and frangipane.
• Flaked almonds. These are scattered on top before baking.

How to make a blackberry frangipane tart

Pastry

Start with the pastry so it can chill in the fridge while you make the compote. I used a food processor, but you could rub the flour and butter by hand, then stir in the egg, sugar and water to get the same result.

Step 1: Place the flour and butter into a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar. Add the egg and 2 tablespoons of water.

Step 2: Pulse until the mixture comes together in a shaggy dough. Add extra water (1 tablespoon at a time) if necessary.

Step 3: Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured worktop and press it gently together into a smooth ball. Do not knead. Cover it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to rest for half an hour.

Compote

While the pastry is resting, you can make the compote.

Step 4: Place 250 grams of blackberries into a saucepan and keep the remaining 175 grams aside to layer with the frangipane.

Step 5: Add the sugar and lemon juice to the blackberries and heat gently until the mixture starts to boil.

Step 6: Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook gently for 4 to 5 minutes until the fruit softens, stirring to encourage the fruit to break up.

Step 7: If the compote is still quite thin, stir in a little cornflour and water mixture until the mixture thickens. It should have the consistency of soft jam and fall easily from the spoon. It will thicken further on cooling.

Frangipane

Set the compote aside to cool while you make the frangipane.

Step 8: Using an electric hand mixer or a wooden spoon, beat the sugar and butter together until light and creamy.

Step 9: Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.

Step 10: Stir in the almond essence (if using), then use a spatula to combine the ground almonds with the egg mixture.

Assemble and bake

Step 11: Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface until it is large enough to line the base and sides of an 11-inch diameter baking dish.

Step 12: Line the greased dish with the pastry, and use a sharp knife to remove any overhang.

Step 13: Spread the cooled compote evenly over the bottom of the pastry.

Step 14: Spread half of the frangipane mixture over the compote.

Step 15: Arrange the whole blackberries on the frangipane.

Step 16: Spread the remaining frangipane over the blackberries.

Step 17: Sprinkle flaked almonds generously on top of the frangipane.

Step 18: Place the tart on a baking tray that has been preheated in the oven (190C°/380°F (conventional) | 170°C/340°F (fan)) and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the pie is golden and feels firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Dust with icing sugar before serving if desired.

Foodle Club top tips

Follow these handy tips to ensure your fresh blackberry almond tart always turns out perfectly:

Pastry

• Keep all the ingredients as cold as possible. Pastry benefits from being made with cold ingredients. If your kitchen is warm (or it's a hot day) and you are rubbing the butter into the flour by hand, rinse your hands under cold water and dry them before starting.
• Take care when adding water. Add the water one tablespoon at a time, just enough to allow the dough to come together in a soft, non-sticky ball. If you add too much water at the start, you will have to add extra flour to compensate, and this will upset the balance of ingredients, resulting in a hard, tough crust.
• Handle the pastry as little as possible. Overworking the pastry will develop gluten, which will make the pastry tough. Handle as little as possible and do not knead.
• Rest the pastry. Resting the pastry gives the gluten time to relax, meaning it will roll out more easily and will be far less likely to shrink as it bakes.
• Store pastry offcuts in the freezer. Pastry freezes well. I keep a plastic bag in my freezer and store leftover bits of pastry. Every now and then I have sufficient to make a quiche or a tart without having to go to the trouble of making pastry.

Compote

• Don't add water to the compote. The lemon juice and the juice from the berries will be more than sufficient liquid.
• Cook over a gentle heat. Don't allow the compote to boil vigorously - a slow and steady heat allows the berries to release their juice without catching on the bottom.
• Adjust the sugar you add. Blackberries can vary enormously in sweetness, particularly if foraged. Taste the compote and add a little more sugar if necessary.
• Remember it will thicken as it cools. Remove it from the heat when it's slightly looser than you ultimately want it to be. The cornflour and natural pectin in the fruit will continue to thicken as it cools. You are aiming for a thick compote that will spread easily on the pastry - a bit like jam!
• If using cornflour to thicken, mix it with cold water first. This gets rid of any lumps. Also add only as much cornflour mixture as you need to thicken the compote. You may not need it all.
• Important! Cool the compote completely before spreading onto the pastry. Warm compote can cause the butter in the pastry to melt before it gets into the oven, resulting in soggy pastry.

Frangipane

• Use softened but not melted butter. The butter should be soft enough to cream easily with the sugar. Room temperature is fine. The butter should be soft but not look oily or melted.
• Beat the eggs in one at a time. If the mixture looks curdled, you can add a spoonful of the ground almonds or even a teaspoon of plain flour. This is not a problem though, and you don't have to worry. Once the ground almonds have been mixed in, it will come back together again.
• Don't overbeat once you've added the ground almonds. Fold them in until they are just incorporated, with no dry streaks showing.
• Dollop rather than spread. When covering the berries with the final layer of frangipane, use a spoon to place small spoonfuls of the mixture. Then use a fork to lightly spread it over the berries. Trying to spread it with a knife can result in the fruit being dragged around.
• Don't be tempted to add an extra egg if the mixture looks too thick. I've tried that, and it makes the frangipane too soft. It should be fairly thick and spreadable before baking.

Baking

• Preheat the oven properly. The baking time is based on an oven that is already at full temperature. If you put the tart in too early, you will have to bake it longer, and that can dry out the frangipane or make the pastry harder than you would like.
• Heat a baking sheet. Because this tart is not blind-baked, sliding the dish onto a hot baking sheet gives the pastry base a better chance to crisp and brown nicely.
• The tart will be cooked when a thin wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out without any wet batter clinging to it. If not quite cooked, leave the tart in the oven for a few extra minutes.

Equipment tips

I made this tart in a glass baking dish. Ceramic and glass take longer to conduct heat than metal, so if you use a metal baking dish, you should start checking for doneness 5 minutes before the stated recipe time.

You will need the following main items of equipment for this blackberry tart:

• 11-inch baking dish, which should be at least 1 to 1.5 inches deep. You could also use the given quantities to make 2 x 7" tarts.
• A food processor makes short work of the pastry, but if you don't have one, just use a mixing bowl and mix the pastry by hand.
• A medium-sized mixing bowl for mixing the frangipane.
• A small saucepan for the compote.
• Spatula to combine the ground almonds into the frangipane.
• A large baking tray to preheat in the oven to stand the baking dish on. This also makes it easier to remove the hot baked dish from the oven - especially if your baking dish doesn't have handles.

FAQ

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