This post is a hard one to write. Because as much as I would love to tell you all about the delicious Raspberry and Nectarine Frangipane Tart, this is going to be a bittersweet story.
This is the last thing I baked for my boyfriend before he passed away two months ago.
It was a random Saturday afternoon, and he popped over to surprise me. My kitchen was a mess with ingredients, lighting and camera gear everywhere. While the tart was in the oven, we put the harnesses on the cats and took them for a frolic outside to enjoy the gorgeous sunny afternoon. I don’t know who loved the frolics more – him or the cats!
Back inside, I took these photos while we listened to some jazz. The original videos still have his voice in the background. That’s his hand doing the pouring shot. It all felt so normal and natural and comfortable. Just like any regular weekend.
When the photos were done, we shared this slice of the tart and he proclaimed it one of the best things I’d made this year. Cooking and words of affirmation are my love language. He loved to eat and treated everything I cooked like a gourmet meal. We were an excellent match.
I wasn’t sure that I was ever going to share this recipe, but he loved it so much and I am so grateful that we had that beautiful afternoon together. One of many over our 11 years together, and almost 20 years of friendship. But at the same time it feels like never enough time. Of course, there’s a huge loss and a cavernous empty space the last two months. I miss his loud booming laugh, protective hugs, movie nights, walks, talking about anything and everything. He treated everything I cooked like it was a gourmet feast. I even miss the things that used to annoy me!
I’ve talked a lot about gratitude here on the blog, as a practice that has helped me through tough times in the past. I got him into the gratitude journaling practice as well and that was something we would talk about almost every day. Once again, it has been invaluable in this journey of grief and eventual healing.
I’m grateful that I already had this habit as it has helped me to appreciate all the good times, even in the midst of the hardest thing I’ve ever been through. And if you’ve never tried it, please give it a go. Whether things are good or terrible in your life, seeing everything through a lens of gratitude for even the smallest thing just helps immensely and re-trains your brain to look out for positive things everyday.
A short note on the recipe itself. This Raspberry and Nectarine Frangipane Tart is absolutely delicious. If you like almond croissants, you’ll definitely like the frangipane filling of this tart. It’s got an absolutely delicious buttery almond flavour that is the perfect backdrop for the sweet fruit.
I love versatile recipes that allow seasonal fruit to be the star. Instead of nectarines and raspberries, you could use rhubarb, strawberries, peaches, cherries, pears, apples or a combination! So no matter what time of year it is, you can adapt the fruit to suit the season. I based today’s recipe off a lovely Fig version that I made ten years ago!
This pastry is a reliable recipe that I use often and works with a variety of fillings. It comes together quickly and easily in the food processor and blind bakes beautifully. While you can make the entire tart in an afternoon pretty easily, you can definitely make the pastry and frangipane a day or two ahead of time and assemble and bake on the day you want to serve. I love a simple dusting of icing sugar and perhaps a drizzle of cream to serve. It makes the most lovely afternoon tea treat!
I hope you love this recipe as much as he did. It will always be special to me now as the last thing I baked for him. Raspberry and Nectarine Frangipane Tart – for Dre.
Related Post: Fig and Almond Tart
Raspberry and Nectarine Frangipane Tart
This delicious Raspberry and Nectarine Frangipane Tart will always have a special place in my heart and memories.
Ingredients
Pastry
- 190 g plain flour
- 80 g caster sugar
- 80 g cold unsalted butter, diced
- 1 egg
Frangipane
- 150 g butter, slightly softened
- 150 g icing sugar
- 150 g almond meal
- 2 eggs
- 20 ml Frangelico or Amaretto liqueur
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 30 g plain flour
- 4 white nectarines, seed removed and cut into slices
- 125 g fresh raspberries
- Icing sugar to serve
Instructions
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To make the pastry, place the flour, sugar, butter and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a food processor and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg and process until dough just starts to come together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and very gently knead until smooth. Flatten into a disc shape, wrap in clingwrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
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Roll out the pastry to about 3mm thick. Line the base and sides of a tart tin with the pastry, and trim any excess. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest. Line the pastry with baking paper and fill with baking weights or rice. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 180°C rotating at the halfway mark. When the edges are browned, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
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To make the frangipane, cream butter and sugar until pale, light and fluffy (at least 5 minutes). Add the almond meal and beat until mixed. Add the eggs, liqueur, vanilla and flour and beat until combined. Mixture can be refrigerated covered for a couple of days or frozen. Allow the mixture to come to room temperature to soften before adding to pastry case.
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Spoon enough frangipane into your cooled pastry case and use an offset spatula to even it out (do not fill more than 1/2 cm below the top of pastry case). Arrange sliced nectarines and raspberries on top of frangipane, pressing in slightly. Bake for around 20-25 minutes until frangipane is puffed, cooked through and lightly golden (it’s ready when the centre springs back). Remove tart and cool on wire rack. Just before serving, sift icing sugar over the top.