Instructions

For the pastry crust

1. Mix the flour and sugar together in a large bowl. Grate the frozen butter into the bowl and use your hands to rub the butter into the flour until it becomes crumbly. In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolk, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of water. Mix well to combine. Little by little, add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and continue rubbing the mixture with your hands until a ball forms. If it’s too dry, add another tablespoon of water. Try to combine the liquid and dry ingredients as quickly as possible with as little handling as possible, as overworking the dough will prevent your crust from being light and flaky.
2. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and use a floured rolling pin to roll it out into a circle large enough for a 26 cm pie dish. Carefully roll the dough up around the rolling pin and transfer it to your dish. Trim the edges and fill in any holes with extra bits of dough. Flute the edges and chill for 2 hours.

For the almond paste

1. In a food processor, combine the almond meal and icing sugar and pulse a few times to break up any lumps. Add the almond extract and egg white and pulse to combine. If it’s too wet, add more almond meal and icing sugar. You should have a thick dough which you can turn out onto the counter and knead. Any leftovers can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated or frozen.

For the tart

1. Heat butter and brown sugar in a large pot over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then add the water. Add the pears and cook them for 10 minutes. When the pears are soft and caramelized, remove them onto a plate, spreading them out to cool, and set them aside. Continue cooking the liquid for a few minutes until thickened slightly. When the spoon leaves a trail on the bottom of the pot, remove the pot from the heat and set it aside.
2. For the frangipane, combine the almond paste and butter. When it is well combined, add the almond extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and the flour. Add the eggs to the butter mixture and mix well.
3. Fill your pie shell with the frangipane mixture. Arrange the pear slices on top and sprinkle the slivered almonds on top. Bake in a 165° Celsius (325° Fahrenheit) oven for 30 to 40 minutes until the top is golden and the frangipane is firm. Remove the tart from the oven and gently brush the finished tart with the reserved pear cooking liquid.