I have been obsessed with this pastry for a few weeks now. I've made at least ten different versions of it in an effort to achieve the right custardy texture. You can use any fruit you like (I even used frozen blueberries in the tart pictured below), but my favorite is white peach because stone fruit in summer is the jam. The filling consists of equal amounts almond flour, sugar, and butter, which will result in a custard-like texture, perfect for pies or tarts. Reduce butter to a 1/4 cup if you'll be spreading on a puff pastry.
Vegan Frangipane
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks, softened
1/2 cup almond flour
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
1 tablespoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 peaches (or any stone fruit, cherries, or other berries), sliced
Puff Pastry Sheet or Press-In Almond Crust from PPK
Prepare crust according to the directions and freeze for 30 minutes. Or allow puff pastry sheet to thaw and unroll.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Beat sugar and butter together until whipped and fluffy, beat in vanilla paste and almond extract, fold in the almond flour and arrowroot powder, stir until just combined. Spread frangipane evenly over crust and arrange fruit on top. Bake for 30 minutes or until frangipane is lightly browned on top. Allow to cool for at least an hour to allow frangipane to set.
Notes: You may substitute arrowroot powder with corn starch or even Egg Replacer, but we're aiming for a custard-like consistency and arrowroot powder sets the best.
I was asked to make a sugar-free dessert for a birthday party, and after many attempts, I successfully adapted the above recipe using agave nectar and maple syrup. However, these add a distinct taste to the frangipane and brown and burn more easily. If you must use either of these, I suggest Grade A maple syrup because it has a milder taste. Granulated sugar really works best here, though. It is also helpful to place a baking sheet under the tart or to stick the ready-to-bake tart in the freezer for about 30 minutes to prevent it from burning.
½ cup maple syrup
½ margarine, softened
1 cup almond meal
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp almond extract
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 tbsp arrowroot powder
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