Classic British frangipane tart — buttery shortcrust pastry, thick raspberry jam, soft almond filling. A Tesco Real Food recipe that doesn't mess with the original. Serve warm with cream or cold with a cup of tea.
Prep40 min + chill
Bake~1 hr 10 min
DifficultyModerate
Yield12 slices
SourceTesco Real Food
Batch Size
1 batch = one 23cm / 9-inch tart (12 slices)
Ingredients
Pastry
Plain flour (all-purpose)
Icing sugar (powdered sugar)
Cold unsalted butter, cubed
Egg yolk
Cold water
Frangipane Filling
Unsalted butter, softened
Caster sugar (superfine sugar)
Eggs
Ground almonds
Almond extract
Raspberry conserve / jam
Topping
Flaked almonds
Icing sugar, to dust
Oven
180°C / 350°F / Gas 4
Fan: 160°C / 325°F
Method
1
Make the Pastry
Sieve flour and icing sugar into a bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and 2 tsp cold water. Mix to a firm dough — don't overwork it.
Cold butter is non-negotiable. Warm hands warm butter. If the kitchen's hot, chill the bowl and butter first.
2
Line + Chill
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured board. Use to line a deep 23cm (9-inch) loose-based fluted tart tin — press gently into the fluting. Trim the edges. Chill for 15 minutes.
⏱ 15 min chill
3
Blind Bake
Heat oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4. Line the pastry case with parchment and fill with baking beans or rice. Bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and beans. Return to oven for another 10 minutes until the pastry is dry and light golden. Remove and cool slightly.
Blind baking prevents a soggy bottom. The pastry needs to be genuinely dry before adding the filling, or the bottom won't cook through under the dense frangipane.
⏱ 25 min total
4
Make the Frangipane
Beat together the softened butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time — don't rush, let each incorporate fully. Stir in the ground almonds and almond extract. The batter should be thick and smooth.
5
Assemble
Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the base of the cooled pastry case. Spoon the frangipane filling evenly on top — spread gently so you don't drag the jam. Scatter flaked almonds over the surface.
6
Bake
Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 35–40 minutes until the frangipane is firm and golden brown on top. The filling should have a set, slightly damp-crumb texture — like a set custard, not a fluffy sponge. If still very liquid at 40 minutes, cover the top with foil and return for another 5–10 minutes.
Don't over-bake. The frangipane firms up as it cools. Pulling it too early is recoverable — it firms in the tin. Pulling it too late means it's dry and chalky.
⏱ 35–40 min
7
Cool + Serve
Allow to cool for 10–15 minutes in the tin. Carefully remove from the tin. Dust with icing sugar just before serving. Best served just warm or fully cooled — not hot out of the oven. Serve with cream or custard.
Notes
Frangipane Texture
The correct texture is soft with a damp crumb — more like a set custard than a fluffy sponge. If it looks underdone at 40 minutes, it probably is. Cover with foil and push it. The top should be golden-brown, not pale.
The Tin
Use a deep 23cm (9-inch) loose-based tart tin — the depth matters for fitting the full frangipane layer. A springform can work in a pinch. Shallow tart tins will overflow. If making 2 batches, use two pans rather than scaling into one larger pan.
Make-Ahead
The baked tart keeps 1–2 days in an airtight container at room temperature. It actually slices cleaner once fully cooled. Good for preparing the day before — rewarm at 150°C / 300°F for 10 minutes.
Jam Variations
Raspberry is traditional, but strawberry, cherry, or apricot all work. Use a good conserve with real fruit — cheap jam will make the bottom layer watery and taste flat.
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